Family Support for Women Entrepreneurs in China and Russia: Comparative Analysis

This article examines the forms and functions of family support for female entrepreneurs in two countries – Russia and China – using the example of women from Shanghai and Saint Petersburg. The study utilizes the comparative approach to examine how cultural and institutional differences affect the perception and implementa-tion of family support. The article focuses on three main forms of support: financial aid, emotional encouragement, and participation in decision-making. The study shows that in China the family functions as a catalytic mechanism for women’s entrepreneurial activity, while in Russia it is a compensator for institutional deficits. The research findings are based on recent empirical literature and theoretical models of informal institutions. The study contributes to the sociology of entrepreneurship and gender studies within post-socialist and Asian urban contexts.