Women’s Leadership, Emotions, and Innovation in Crisis Management within Family Businesses in Africa

Azzeddine Allioui ()
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Azzeddine Allioui: ESCA Ecole de Management, Morocco

RAIS Conference Proceedings 2022-2026 from Research Association for Interdisciplinary Studies

Abstract: The resilience of family businesses in Africa during crises is often attributed to their ability to blend tradition with innovation, leveraging the strengths of their leadership to navigate uncertainty. Within this context, female leaders are emerging as pivotal figures, bringing distinctive emotional intelligence and innovative crisis-management approaches to crisis management. This study examines the extent to which female leadership, through proactive emotional management, fosters innovation and effective crisis resolution in African family businesses. Drawing insights from 33 semi-structured interviews with female leaders, family business members, and crisis management experts, the research highlights how emotional regulation, empathy, and collaborative decision-making contribute to addressing crises while ensuring organizational sustainability. The findings reveal that female leaders harness their socioemotional strengths to build trust, inspire teams, and innovate under pressure, creating pathways for resilience and long-term success. By exploring these dynamics, the study provides theoretical and practical contributions to understanding the role of gendered leadership in shaping the future of family businesses in Africa.

Keywords: Female Leadership; Family Businesses; Crisis Management; Emotional Intelligence; Organizational Sustainability; African Business; Gendered Leadership; Resilience Strategies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 18 pages
Date: 2026-03
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Published in Proceedings of the 43rd International RAIS Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities, March 12-13, 2026, pages 12-30

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:smo:raiswp:0627

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