Research Summary: While family small and medium enterprises (SMEs) increasingly involve women in their boards, the role of female directors as catalysts of innovation is yet to be fully understood. Drawing on upper echelons theory, we examine directors’ gender in conjunction with family affiliation to investigate the influence of family female directors on family SMEs’ innovation. Moreover, by analyzing the contingent role of socioemotional wealth preferences, we open the black box of noneconomic aspects shaping the cognition and behavior of boards. Our analysis of a unique survey-based sample of 287 Belgian family SMEs reveals that family female directors do exert a positive influence on R&D intensity. However, according to the mixed gamble logic, this influence is filtered by the positive and negative moderation of their socioemotional wealth preferences.

Managerial Summary: We examine the role that women who are members of the family owning a business play in the decision making of SMEs. Specifically, we investigate the influence that the involvement of family female directors in the board of family SMEs exerts on innovation decisions. To empirically address this line of inquiry, we conducted a survey on 287 Belgian family SMEs. Our analysis shows that the involvement of family female directors in the board fosters family SME’s innovation investments. Yet, such an influence is weakened by the intention of the family to retain control over the business but is enhanced by the identification of family members with the firm and by the desire to renew family bonds through dynastic succession. Therefore, our study cautions family SMEs’ owners and managers to pay attention to these important dimensions of diversity when appointing directors to their board.