Household Strategies: Their Conceptual Relevance and Analytical Scope in Social Research

Abstract

The paper considers the idea of 'household strategies' as a concept that takes into account the motivations and agency of actors in society, as a method of analysis through looking at the intersection of different economies in household behaviour and as a unit of analysis, with a focus on households rather than individuals. Although the concept of household strategies has been criticised in each of these dimensions, it has nevertheless remained an important empirical tool of investigation in different parts of the world. Indeed, household strategies have become perhaps even more salient under conditions of social change such as those found in studies of post-Communism as well as socalled post-Fordism. The danger of an over-emphasis on agency implied by this approach can be counteracted by considering structural factors which have emerged in empirical studies and which constrain the creation and deployment of household strategies. However, such constraints are not just objective but also culturally defined. Seen in this way, household strategies can be developed as an aspect of comparative research and can help to elucidate the social factors underlying economic behaviour. The paper ends by suggesting certain conditions under which household strategies are likely to become especially important.

Kinship and business: how entrepreneurial households facilitate business growth

“…A household perspective implies that entrepreneurs are viewed within the context of his or her immediate family unit, implicitly recognizing the blurred boundaries between the business sphere and the private sphere. These two spheres share complex links for small firm owners; household decisions and business decisions are made in tandem within the household, and business strategies are interwoven with household strategies (Ram et al, 2000;Wallace, 2002). Hence, the decision to found a new business or to start an additional enterprise may be the outcome of a household, rather than an individual, strategy.…”

Análisis de género de las estrategias de cuidado infantil en Uruguay

“…Dichas estrategias configuran en el plano individual una determinada distribución del cuidado entre los distintos agentes proveedores. Wallace (2002) expone la relevancia del análisis de las estrategias destacando que tienen un resurgir teórico vinculado a los procesos de reflexividad y concientización propios de las sociedades actuales, que hace que la organización de los recursos de tiempo y dinero que llevan a cabo los hogares tengan un gran valor analítico.…”

Parental Migration, Intergenerational Obligations and the Paradox for Left-Behind Boys in Rural China

“…Anthropologists and sociologists, however, argue that economic motives are far from sufficient to predict human movement without accounting for social and cultural contexts that constrain human behaviours (Brettell & Hollifield, 2008). The household rather than the individual as a social and economic unit can help understand the interaction of structure and agency in most societies (Morgan, 1989;Wallace, 2002), which may enable researchers to integrate other socio-cultural factors with economic factors in the study of migration. The household approach can also help interpret the phenomena of temporary migration, split family structures and remittances in migration.…”