Retaining the adolescent workforce in family businesses

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to critically explore the linkage between adolescent work, parent–child relationships and offspring career choice outcomes in a family business context. It examines the aforementioned in light of the stay/go decision faced by adolescent family members.Design/methodology/approachFindings are derived from semi-structured interviews with 15 individuals from five Italian families operating family catering businesses in Yorkshire (UK). The approach represents a sample spanning four generations, designed to capture data from individuals who had experienced adolescent work at the family business.FindingsThe findings offer evidence that the “familiarity” of family business impacts on offspring career choices, providing a safety net or a trap which can impede exit decisions. Returning after periods of study leave that represent the transition from adolescence to adulthood, offspring continue to use the family business as a base from which to explore their career options. Alternatively, when parent–child relationships break down, family business escape strategies assume priority for offspring.Research limitations/implicationsThe study focussed exclusively on migrant Italian families within the catering sector. The sample included different generational representations among the five families. It lays the ground for future research of a similar nature among other family business ethnicities and across other economic sectors.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to understanding offspring career choice outcomes in a family business context. The empirical evidence suggests that parent–child relationships are instrumental to understanding the stay/go decision as well as previous stages of the socialisation process of embedding in the family business.

Lived Experiences in Family Business Among Business Graduates of a Private Higher Educational Institution in Iloilo City, Philippines

“…This was also evident in Filipino and Chinese-owned family businesses [38]. They experienced transitioning from lower-ranked job positions to higher ones like being appointed as business owners or inheritors [39]. The business is believed to be strengthened when family members and children at a young age are involved [34].…”

“…When compared to Chinese-Filipino parents, Filipino mothers, and fathers are more supportive and lenient when it comes to their children's career choices. In published studies, researchers reported that children tend to sacrifice their personal goals especially if they spent long years in their family workplace [39]. Researchers also correlated the difficulty of exiting a family business with the level of children's involvement.…”