Who’s Responsible for What?

Abstract

Nearly everyone plays a role in career development in a family business. Here is how those roles shape up: The family serves as the guiding light. It provides the overall vision and values that frame the entire process. If the family holds a strong belief in work-life balance, it might encourage family members to consider working part time while their children are young. By contrast, another family might say, “Anyone who chooses to work part time will never be seriously considered for a top management position.” Another family might place great emphasis on community involvement, saying, “We expect our leaders to serve the community in some way.” If so, voluntary activities would become a part of career development.