Title: Intent of the next generation of family members: 'hard keep'em down on the family farm'

Authors: Dell McStay; Michael Harvey

Addresses: School of Business, Technology and Sustainable Development, Bond University, Robina, Queensland 4229, Australia. ' School of Business, Technology and Sustainable Development, Bond University, Robina, Queensland 4229, Australia

Abstract: Will the next generation of family members be willing to enter an existing family business or start one of their own? This question would seem to have received some attention in the literature over the last two decades, but what has made those studies come into question in the last five years? The emergence of the next generation of adolescents who will be making their own decisions, whether to join their family|s business are to start a new family business themselves. This study examines the issue of willingness to enter into a family business or start a new business of next generation members. In addition, the study includes some cross cultural dimension in that, the study was conducted in Australia amongst a culturally diverse set of students in a private university (many of which came from family owned and operated businesses).

Keywords: next generation; inter-generation conflict; inter-generation issues; motivation; family business; Australia; family firms; cross cultural dimension.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTIS.2011.042659

International Journal of Transitions and Innovation Systems, 2011 Vol.1 No.3, pp.228 - 252

Published online: 30 Sep 2014 *

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