Effects of Family Business Membership and Psychological Separation on the Career Development of Late Adolescents

Abstract

Family businesses are reported to consist of over involved family relationships. Over involvement often leads to conflict when late adolescents attempt to develop their own identity, separate from the home, and choose an occupation. This study examines differences between family‐and non‐family‐business offspring in relation to psychological over involvement, and career choice and development. Analyses of assessments completed by 248 undergraduate college students does not support the belief that family business members are overinvolved with each other, but does suggest implications for the career development of family business offspring.

Investigating the actual career decisions of the next generation: The impact of family business involvement

“…A significant finding of their study recognizes that family dimensions, which refer to behaviors elicited primarily from family membership, such as family dynamics, were significant and related to offspring's intentions not to join the family business. Stavrou and Swiercz (1998) also highlight the importance of the personal dimension with regard to career choice, echoing Eckrich and Loughead (1996), who claim that children of business owners appear to have a less clear sense of their career interests, goals and talents than children of non-business owners. In their study of the effects of family business membership and psychological separation on the career development of late adolescents, these authors conclude that next-generation family members experience difficulties in establishing their vocational identity (referred to by Eckrich and Loughead as vocational identity deficit) due to the influence of their family business background on their self-efficacy or self-confidence.…”

“…However, given the importance of the career decisions of the next generation, we know relatively little about how nextgeneration family members make career decisions and how their family business background and involvement influences these decisions. The current literature informs us that prior family business exposure serves as an important intergenerational influence on entrepreneurial intent (Carr & Sequeira, 2007) and that children with a family business background have an unclear sense of their career interests (Eckrich & Loughead, 1996). We also know that for next-generation family members that grow up in a family business, career planning involves the balance of the exploration of personal career interests on the one hand and family interests and employment opportunities within the family business on the other hand (Schrö der & Schmitt-Rodermund, 2013).…”

“…Eckrich and Loughead (1996) note the immense impact of the next generation's career decisions on the future planning, investment and continued survival of the family business. However, given the importance of the career decisions of the next generation, we know relatively little about how nextgeneration family members make career decisions and how their family business background and involvement influences these decisions.…”

Does Family Support, Students’ Future Thoughts and Credit Use Influence their Career Choices? The Case of Students at Vaal University of Technology

“…For instance, a study by Tropp (2004:267) explored the role played by family members' support in facilitating other members' intentions and aspirations to seek a leadership role in family businesses. The same sentiments were prior to that echoed by Eckrich and Loughead (1996;369-386), who highlighted and argued that children belonging to owners of family business find it difficult to establish their vocational identity without family support. In other family owned related studies, Sharma (2004;1-35) and Carr and Sequeira (2007;1090-1098 recognise the potential impact of family business background and the role the family plays in the career choices of family members, and their future entrepreneurial intent.…”

Integrative Entrepreneurship-Forschung — Identifikation von Schnittstellen zwischen soziologischer und ökonomischer Perspektive

“…In diesem Sinn lässt sich dann Familie entsprechend als ein Standortfaktor interpretieren (vgl. Eckrich & Loughead 1996;Fairlie & Robb 2007). In einem Literaturreport zum Stand der Entrepreneurshipforschung führt Audretsch (2002) konsequenterweise zu den Haupteinflussgrößen des Unternehmertums neben den Stichworten Finanzen und Steuern eine Reihe von sozialwissenschaftlich relevanten Softfaktoren als Schlüsselfaktoren an, insbesondere Kultur, Netzwerke und Sozialkapital.…”