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Abstract
While most family business leaders want their offspring to take over the family business, most next-generation family members choose to pursue opportunities outside their families’ businesses. This research aims to understand how internal family dynamics affect the development of PO feelings towards the family business in next-generation family members. The moderating effect of gender, as socially constructed, was also explored.Data were collected using a snowball technique and an anonymous online survey (n=159) and were analyzed using regression analysis. Next-generation family members were encouraged to participate in this study regardless of their ownership of, or employee status within, the business. The family dynamics measured were cognitive cohesion, emotional cohesion, adaptability, communication, intergenerational attention to needs, and authority. Findings are included, followed by discussion, limitations, and future directions for research. Currently, family business scholars have a limited understanding of how and when psychologically related micro-factors manifest in next-generation family members; however, relationships have been identified between a business family’s internal dynamics and the development of certain attitudes, beliefs, and feelings held by their next-generation family members. Despite the similarities of this research to past examples in the SEW and related literature streams, no support was found for this study’s hypothesized relationships. Additional empirical research is necessary to understand when and how a business family’s internal dynamics influence the manifestation of PO feelings in their next-generation family members.