Linking women empowerment and managerial performance: moderating role of family support and family entrepreneurial orientation

Purpose This paper aims to examine the connection between female managers’ characteristics, women’s empowerment and female managerial performance in Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a deductive approach and questionnaire to collect responses. The researchers gathered 364 valid cases from family-owned businesses managed by women in Pakistan. Findings Using path analysis through analysis of moment structures, the findings unveil a significant effect of personal freedom and entrepreneurship education on women’s empowerment. The women’s empowerment factor positively predicts female managerial performance. Furthermore, family support moderates the connection between personal freedom, entrepreneurship education and women’s empowerment. Lastly, family entrepreneurial orientation moderates the link between women’s empowerment and female managerial performance. Practical implications This study contributes to entrepreneurial success and broader socioeconomic growth. It provides policymakers and planners with a framework for developing policies to encourage women’s empowerment in entrepreneurship, business and managerial activities. Lastly, the study’s empirical findings deepen the domain literature by providing evidence from a developing country. Originality/value This study addresses gaps in the literature by offering an integrated model that combines a wide range of constructs, including direct and moderating effects, into a single framework. Besides, investigating women managers in family-owned businesses in Pakistan further contributes to the context.