Introductory paragraphs:

With family-owned businesses accounting for a whopping share of the economy, the nature of family members’ individual career development in that sector is important and interesting. How indeed do family members perceive their own individual career management needs when they work for the family firm? Surprisingly little research has been done on this topic (although many studies have focused on intergenerational succession). Our study shines a light on this subject and suggests a way forward for both families and future researchers.

It stands to reason that family members experience some tension between family requirements and their own career hopes and aspirations. After all, family members are “privileged” to have a career, and perhaps leadership, available at the company by dint of birth. Yet in some sense, they are also “burdened” (to deal with any family pressures and grapple with the fact that working at the company is a “given”).  So many factors come into play that are unique to this cohort: family loyalty (often a guiding motivation), being “socialized” into the family business from a young age, family pressures and expectations, educational goals beyond the realm of the business, the relative ease of this career choice, etc.  So whose aspirations are being fulfilled with family company employment – the individual’s, the family’s, or both?  We opted to explore this area – the fault lines where individual and group needs meet. 

Our study involved in-depth interviews with 15 participants who are members of owning families and between 20 and 50 years old – the phase of life when individual career development is especially relevant for most people. Subjects worked at family owner-managed small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in traditional industries (manufacturing, sales, repair, etc.) that were well established locally. The study was conducted in Sweden, a country notable for its social, political and economic stability, gender equality and support of individualism.