Webinar | New Research on Women Leaders In Family vs. Nonfamily Firms | August 25, 2026

Do women leaders experience greater success in family firms than in nonfamily firms?

According to new research by Eric Kushins, PhD, and Myriam Quispe-Agnoli, PhD, the answer is yes—and the reasons have less to do with individual leadership traits and more to do with organizational culture and legitimacy.

Dr. Kushins will join us and share results from the study, which finds that women-led family firms outperform women-led nonfamily firms. The research suggests this performance difference stems from how women leaders are perceived and supported inside organizations — not from differences in capability, ambition, or skill.

In nonfamily firms, women leaders are often evaluated through a narrow, gendered lens, which can limit their legitimacy and constrain their influence. In contrast, family firms tend to offer a broader cultural repertoire for understanding leadership. Because women have long occupied varied and meaningful roles within family enterprises, leadership is interpreted more flexibly and inclusively.

As a result, women leaders in family firms are viewed as more legitimate by managers and employees, face less internal resistance, and enjoy greater decision-making latitude, culminating in stronger firm performance.

This webinar will explore these findings and what they reveal about the powerful role of culture in shaping leadership success.

🗓 Tuesday, August 25, 2026
🕛 Noon–1:00 p.m. (ET)
💻 A Microsoft Teams link will be emailed the day before the event to the email provided.
🎟 No cost to attend

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About the Speaker

Eric Kushins, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Management at the Campbell School of Business at Berry College in Mount Berry, Georgia. He earned a dual Ph.D. in Sociology and Organization Management from Rutgers University. His research focuses on family firms and employment discrimination. Drawing on sociological theory and mixed methods, his family business research examines gender, race, interpersonal dynamics, access to resources, and entrepreneurial constraints. His second research stream uses experimental methods to study bias in hiring and reemployment, including work on voice attribution and stay-at-home fathers. Dr. Kushins teaches undergraduate and MBA courses in entrepreneurship, human resource management, negotiation, and team dynamics. He is also a Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and Senior HR Certified Professional who leads leadership, team-building, and process improvement programs across a wide range of industries.