Salma Fattoum

Assoziierte Professorin FH

+41 26 429 63 26

Büro: HEG 423

Salma FATTOUM is a professor of entrepreneurship and strategic management. She holds a PhD in Entrepreneurship and a Habilitation to Direct Research (HDR) on succession and gender dynamics in family businesses, which she defended at the Paris Sorbonne.

Her work focuses on family businesses, the impact of gender on succession and the growth of women-owned businesses. She is also interested in investment in business start-ups, and more specifically in the role of business angels.

Her work has been published in various journals, including Organization Studies, Journal of Small Business Management, European Management Review, Revue de l'Entrepreneuriat and Management International.

Publications

Journal article

FATTOUM, S. (2021). Successor attitudes in Family Firms. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 43 (3), 345-362.

BYRNE, J., RADU-LEFEBVRE, M., FATTOUM, S., BALACHANDRA, L. (2021). Gender Gymnastics in Family Business Succession: Gender Identities and Legitimacy Practices. Organization Studies, 42 (1), 129-159.

BYRNE, J., FATTOUM, S., DIAZ GARCIA, M. C. (2019). Role Models and Women Entrepreneurs: Entrepreneurial Superwoman has her say. Journal of Small Business Management, 57 (1), 154-184.

BYRNE, J., FATTOUM, S., THÉBAUD, S. (2019). A Suitable Boy? Gendered Roles and Hierarchies in Family Business Succession. European Management Review, 16 (3), 579-596.

BYRNE, J., FATTOUM, S., GIACOMIN, O., TOUNÉS, A. (2018). L'intention de croissance et le genre à l'épreuve de la parentalité. Management International, 22 (4), 12-26.

FATTOUM, S., BYRNE, J. (2017). L'influence du genre dans le choix du successeur en entreprise familiale. Revue de l'Entrepreneuriat, 16 (3-4), 220-244.

FATTOUM, S., VALLET, S. (2014). Motivations et enjeux de l'essaimage dans les grands groupes français. La Revue des Sciences de Gestion, 2 (266), 33-41.

FATTOUM, S., FAYOLLE, A. (2009). Generational Succession: Examples from Tunisia Family Firms. Journal of Enterprising Culture, 17 (2), 127-145.

FATTOUM, S., FAYOLLE, A. (2008). L'impact de la relation prédécesseur/successeur sur le déroulement du processus de succession dans les entreprises familiales. La Revue des Sciences de Gestion, 2 (230), 105-113.

Paper presented at a peer-reviewed conference

FATTOUM, S. (2026). Légitimité successorale et résilience dans les entreprises familiales tunisiennes. 26th Academy of African Business and Development (AABD) Annual Conference, Tunisia.

NICOLAS, C., FATTOUM, S., FRITZ, J., BLOCH, A. (2026). The Succession Planning Paradox: Formal Designation, Organizational Vigilance, and Perceived Performance in Family SMEs. STEP Project Global Consortium Family Business Summit 2026, France.

NICOLAS, C., FATTOUM, S., FRITZ, J., BLOCH, A. (2026). Daughters' access to leadership in family businesses: a scoping review on facilitating factors and barriers. International Family Enterprise Research Academy Conference, Naples, Italy.

FATTOUM, S., BYRNE, J., SWAIL, J. (2026). Critical Feminism meets Angel Investing: Why research on risk aversion needs a re-think. 10th Entrepreneurial Finance Association Conference, Marseille, France.

BYRNE, J., FATTOUM, S., BOKHARI, K., SWAIL, J. (2026). Not Your Angel: Activist Identity Yet Conventional Practices in Women Investors’ Venture Evaluations. Canadian Entrepreneurship Research Conference, London, Canada.

NICOLAS, C., FRITZ, J., FATTOUM, S. (2026). Psychological Well-Being and Succession Planning Stages in Family SMEs: A Comparative Analysis. 86th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Philadelphie, United States of America.

FATTOUM, S., FRITZ, J., NICOLAS, C. (2026). The Legitimacy Paradox: Decoupling between Professionalization and Informality in Family Business Succession. 86th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Philadelphie, United States of America.

FATTOUM, S., BYRNE, J., SWAIL, J. (2026). Beyond the Myth of Activist Homophily: Exploring the Paradoxes of All-Female Angel Networks. 86th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Philadelphie, United States of America.

NICOLAS, C., FATTOUM, S., FRITZ, J., BLOCH, A. (2025). La féminisation des directions d'entreprises familiales : un levier de pérennité. 10èmes Journées Georges Doriot, Switzerland.

FATTOUM, S., BYRNE, J. (2024). Sisterhood in Context: Exploring Motivations and Network Affiliation among Women Angel Investors. RENT Conference, France.

FATTOUM, S. (2022). Founder Retirement in Family Firms. ICSB World Congress, United States of America.

BYRNE, J., FATTOUM, S., GIACOMIN, O., TOUNÉS, A. (2016). For better or for worse? Marital status, parental status and entrepreneurial growth intentions. ICSB World Congress, New Jersey, United States of America.

BYRNE, J., FATTOUM, S. (2015). The Lenses of Gender: A Narrative Analysis Of Succession In Family Business. Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference, United States of America.

BYRNE, J., FATTOUM, S. (2014). Passing the marchhall’s Baton: A Narrative Analysis of Gender in Family Business Succession. RENT Conference, Luxembourg.

FATTOUM, S., BYRNE, J. (2012). Gender and successor selection: case studies from France. Academy of Management, United States of America.

FATTOUM, S. (2011). Tell me about your father and I’ll tell what kind of successor you’ll make: Successor Attitudes in Family Firms. 7th Annual Family Enterprise Research Conference, United States of America.

VALLET, S., FATTOUM, S. (2007). Pratique de l’essaimage dans les grands groupes français. 5ème Congrès international de l’Académie de l’Entrepreneuriat, Canada.

FATTOUM, S. (2006). Succession in Tunisian Family Firms: The Founder Retirement. ICSB World Congress, Australia.

FATTOUM, S. (2006). Le désengagement du prédécesseur dans les entreprises familiales : cela se passe-t-il toujours mal ? 1ères Journées Georges Doriot, France.

FATTOUM, S., FAYOLLE, A. (2005). L’impact de la relation prédécesseur / successeur sur le déroulement du processus de succession dans les entreprises familiales. 4ème Congrès international de l’Académie de l’Entrepreneuriat, France.

Book chapter

BYRNE, J., FATTOUM, S. (2018). A lost opportunity or a lucky escape? Non-successor daughters and the family in business. Women in the Business Families - From past to present. Routledge.

BYRNE, J., FATTOUM, S. (2014). A gender perspective on family business succession: case studies from France. Women’s Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century (pp. 138-164). Edward Elgar Publishing.

DEGEORGE, J.-M., FATTOUM, S. (2012). La firme entrepreneuriale et l’orientation entrepreneuriale: vers la construction d’une opportunité par les entreprises familiales. Le grand livre de l’économie PME. Gualino.

FATTOUM, S., FAYOLLE, A. (2008). Generational Change in French SME: Fracture or Continuity in Managerial Methods. Change in SMEs: Towards a New European Capitalism? (pp. 99-117). Palgrave Macmillan.

FATTOUM, S., FAYOLLE, A. (2007). Les dirigeants de PME diplômés de l’enseignement Supérieur: innovateurs ou reproducteurs. Management des PME: De la création à la croissance (pp. 75-87). Paerson.

Faculty research seminar

BYRNE, J., FATTOUM, S., DIAZ GARCIA, M. C. (2017). Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all? Entrepreneurial role models and their gendered implications. The Future of Entrepreneurship Research.