Vignettes
| Interviewee | Overview |
|---|---|
| Raonaid | Raonaid grew up working summers and weekends in her family's hospitality business. Motivated by her involvement in the family business, she studied a business related degree at university. She worked for a number of employers before establishing her own business. In her early thirties, she left her business to seek new career opportunities, when her father offered her a part-time role in the family business. Seeing it as an opportunity to contribute to her family business, whilst also having the freedom to raise her young family, Raonaid agreed. Both her younger and older brother already worked for many years inside the business and were MDs of their respective businesses within the hospitality group. In terms of succession, it was decided that her brothers would have the family business and “arrangements would be made” for both her and her sister. Raonaid discontinued employment in the family business shortly before her participation in this study |
| Gráinne | Gráinne helped out in her father's transport business from a young age. She joined the business formally in her late teens. Down the years, she underwent formal education and training and graduated through the ranks of the family business. In her mid-twenties, her father asked whether she would be his successor. She declined, as did her older sister, as they both felt that they would gain no respect from the male dominated workforce. Gráinne and her sister chose to support their younger brother in the role of CEO instead. After a few years, their brother moved on from leadership of the family business to build his career elsewhere and declared Gráinne as his successor of the family business. With certain reluctance, Gráinne agreed to undertake the role of CEO for a limited timeframe. Both her brother and sister are now non-executive directors of the family business |
| Saoirse | Saoirse worked during her school going years in the office of her family's machinery business. Saoirse studied a business related degree in college and worked for a number of years outside the family business when her father asked her to join the sales team. Having never seriously considered working for the family business, Saoirse agreed to join but was apprehensive of her fit with the male oriented nature of the business. She spent a few years in the sales team before leaving to work outside the family business. Both her younger brothers were employed in the family business, with the eldest of the two working there continuously since college. In her early thirties, having returned home and needing a stop-gap, Saoirse re-joined the family business on a temporary basis but soon applied to a newly available managerial role, to which she was subsequently appointed. Saoirse and her youngest brother, who are both executive directors, support their eldest brother as Managing Director |
| Aoibhinn | Aoibhinn remembers from a young age helping out in her family's healthcare business. Throughout her teenage years and twenties, Aoibhinn did various stints in administrative roles within the business. She did a business-related degree and worked abroad for a few years. Having returned home in her late twenties, she sought a formal position within the family business and was interviewed by the non-family MD for a sales administration role. The role allowed Aoibhinn to develop an intimate working knowledge of the business and to work closely with non-family colleagues with whom she shared an open office. Both Aoibhinn and her younger brother, who is a sales representative, are directors of the business. The non-family MD believes Aoibhinn would be a good fit as successor, however she is reluctant to undertake this role. She sees her brother as progressing towards senior management and wants to give him a chance to be considered |
| Bronagh | Bronagh did not work in her family business from a young age, unlike her older siblings who knew the business as a smaller scale operation. She had no intentions of joining and did a non-business related degree. After college, her father notified both her and her older brother of his intention to step down and checked whether either of them were interested in the business. Her brother, who was working in management, decided to join the business, but Bronagh delayed doing so as she believed she could add no value. Bronagh's father convinced her that she did not need a business degree so she joined in her early twenties in a marketing role. She struggled in her first year with a lack of structure which led her to orchestrate her move into other parts of the business. Her brother is managing director of the business and Bronagh, who is now commercial manager, aspires towards a more senior role as commercial director |
| Caoimhe | Caoimhe worked summers as a teenager in the machinery business founded by her father. She trained as an accountant and worked for many years at an international firm. At her father's request, Caoimhe joined the family business as financial director. She found the transition into the family business daunting due to the lack of structure around her role. Both Caoimhe's younger sister (also a director) and younger brother (a manager based in another company location) work for the business and are shareholders. In terms of succession, Caoimhe believes she is the likely successor. Her father still remains as managing director but his focus is on R&D, whilst the day-to-day running is left to Caoimhe, her siblings and the non-family male general manager, with whom she has a positive working relationship |
| Mairead | Mairead joined her large family business as one of a fourth generation cohort comprised of her and her two male cousins, older brother and younger sister. She completed a business degree and accrued five years' work experience, which included 2 years at a large multinational company. Mairead had no plans to join the family business until her father suggested the idea but exerted no pressure. She joined the family business in her late 20s as a Regional Commercial Manager. Mairead is the first female family member to join the family business (at least at board level). Succession planning is underway but there has been no formal discussion to date. Of the cohort, Mairead is most closely aligned to her older male cousin, who is also a Regional Commercial Manager, and imagines that they will both seek a senior position (as a Commercial Director or Sales Director) |
| Niamh | Niamh was involved from a young age in her family's third generation engineering business. Whilst she was more office based, her younger brother accompanied her father on site visits growing up. She studied a business degree at university and worked outside the family business for three years. While working, her father asked her to consider doing a course to assist the family business to which she agreed. Following completion of the course, Niamh joined the business full-time but was a little concerned initially about specializing in an area that was not of huge interest and had no obvious route to management. Her brother also joined the business full-time but was focused on the operational side. Retiring from the family business, their father asked both children about each undertaking the CEO position on a rolling basis, however Niamh was adamant that her brother should succeed. Niamh's brother is now CEO and she supports him in her role as a senior manager and director |
| Orlaith | Orlaith fondly remembers helping out as a child in her father's healthcare practice. As an adult, she became qualified and worked outside the family business for a few years. During this time, her father was expanding the business by opening new practices. Orlaith's older brother joined the family business first and was followed by Orlaith two years after. Their father retired from practice at the time but maintained involvement as managing director. Both siblings ran their own practices with Orlaith's brother becoming more aligned to the strategic side and Orlaith focusing more on the day-to-day operations. In terms of succession, Orlaith's brother assumed the top spot as managing director. In the same period, Orlaith took a two-year career leave for personal reasons, before returning to the business in a part-time role whilst completing a diploma. She deliberately stepped aside from management to focus on raising her young family. Orlaith, who is also a director, intends to take on a full-time executive role in the future |
| Róisín | Róisín worked weekends as a kid in her family business. It was always her intention to work elsewhere so that she might eventually bring a new perspective to the family business. She completed a finance degree and gathered over a decade of outside experience. Both her younger and older brothers worked in the business during this time. For five years, Róisín provided consultations to the family business whilst working full-time outside. As this became too demanding, Róisín gradually moved into the family business, starting one day a week before joining full-time as Business Operations Manager. This role was designed to oversee the departments that support the core businesses run by her two brothers. Róisín also has an older male cousin who is general manager and her father is managing director, although he is less focused on the day-to-day operations. In terms of succession, her father is in the process of transferring a portion of shareholding to Róisín (equal to that of her brothers). Róisín envisions a shared leadership arrangement between her and her two brothers or sees herself as successor rather than her father choosing between two equally capable sons |
| Eimear | Eimear's family business was founded by her grandparents and grown by her father and aunt who each manage two separate businesses within the group. Eimear remembers her brother and male cousins working in the factory growing up, whilst she had minimal involvement as the work never enthused her. She qualified as an accountant and worked for an international firm for almost a decade. During her career, she was always aware of dealings in the family business, and took leave from her employment on two separate occasions to work at the family business. Eimear had just finished a career break, when her father asked her to run a newly purchased business under the family group. Having always wanted to run a business, Eimear agreed. Her father is group CEO and her aunt and brother are also group executive directors. There has been no formal discussion about succession but Eimear assumes the previous generation will want to retire in the near future. She sees herself as the likely CEO, given that her brother is not interested in the role, or else as a Co-CEO with her brother |
| Ciara | Ciara was only a teenager when she first joined the family business in a formal position. As was normal at the time, she left school in her teens and did not attend university. She worked in the office of her family business for a few years, before moving to another similar company where she worked for six years. At her father's request, she re-joined the family business where she has remained for close to 30 years. As general manager, Ciara is based in the office and works closely with her younger brother who is the garage and fleet manager. Their father is still managing director and Ciara's two younger sisters work in administrative office positions. Ciara claims they have spoken about succession but nothing formal has been agreed. None of the current generation have shareholding in the business and her father has no plans for retirement |
| Brigid | Brigid always worked summers and weekends in her father's transport business. In college, she studied a business degree and expected to join the family business following her qualification. However, her father told her to work elsewhere and gain valuable experience that she could bring back to the family business. She worked outside for six years before her father asked her to return to help grow the business to the next level. Brigid joined with no specific title or role but worked around the different departments. Her younger brother (next in line) also obtained relevant education and experience and joined the business two years after Brigid. Their two youngest brothers already worked in the business as operatives and were not expected to gain external experience. Brigid's parents began succession planning, of which she had little involvement, and her brother was appointed CEO whilst shares were split equally |
| Shannon | Shannon says passion for her family's food production business was instilled in her from early youth. The business founded by her grandfather is now third generation with her father at the helm. By way of education, Shannon obtained a Master's in business studies and a project management certification. She had no intentions of joining the family business and worked in both the private and public sector. In her early thirties, Shannon was searching for new job opportunities when she suggested to her father that she would work on improving the family business website. Gradually she took on more responsibilities and began full time employment with the family business. Shannon has a wide ranging remit, however her main responsibilities are account management, project management and marketing. Shannon is the eldest of her family, and her sister and eldest brother are company directors. She does not see herself or her sister as CEO but expects one of her brothers to undertake the role or, if not, an external CEO overseen by the siblings as board members |
| Interviewee | Overview |
|---|---|
| Raonaid | Raonaid grew up working summers and weekends in her family's hospitality business. Motivated by her involvement in the family business, she studied a business related degree at university. She worked for a number of employers before establishing her own business. In her early thirties, she left her business to seek new career opportunities, when her father offered her a part-time role in the family business. Seeing it as an opportunity to contribute to her family business, whilst also having the freedom to raise her young family, Raonaid agreed. Both her younger and older brother already worked for many years inside the business and were MDs of their respective businesses within the hospitality group. In terms of succession, it was decided that her brothers would have the family business and “arrangements would be made” for both her and her sister. Raonaid discontinued employment in the family business shortly before her participation in this study |
| Gráinne | Gráinne helped out in her father's transport business from a young age. She joined the business formally in her late teens. Down the years, she underwent formal education and training and graduated through the ranks of the family business. In her mid-twenties, her father asked whether she would be his successor. She declined, as did her older sister, as they both felt that they would gain no respect from the male dominated workforce. Gráinne and her sister chose to support their younger brother in the role of CEO instead. After a few years, their brother moved on from leadership of the family business to build his career elsewhere and declared Gráinne as his successor of the family business. With certain reluctance, Gráinne agreed to undertake the role of CEO for a limited timeframe. Both her brother and sister are now non-executive directors of the family business |
| Saoirse | Saoirse worked during her school going years in the office of her family's machinery business. Saoirse studied a business related degree in college and worked for a number of years outside the family business when her father asked her to join the sales team. Having never seriously considered working for the family business, Saoirse agreed to join but was apprehensive of her fit with the male oriented nature of the business. She spent a few years in the sales team before leaving to work outside the family business. Both her younger brothers were employed in the family business, with the eldest of the two working there continuously since college. In her early thirties, having returned home and needing a stop-gap, Saoirse re-joined the family business on a temporary basis but soon applied to a newly available managerial role, to which she was subsequently appointed. Saoirse and her youngest brother, who are both executive directors, support their eldest brother as Managing Director |
| Aoibhinn | Aoibhinn remembers from a young age helping out in her family's healthcare business. Throughout her teenage years and twenties, Aoibhinn did various stints in administrative roles within the business. She did a business-related degree and worked abroad for a few years. Having returned home in her late twenties, she sought a formal position within the family business and was interviewed by the non-family MD for a sales administration role. The role allowed Aoibhinn to develop an intimate working knowledge of the business and to work closely with non-family colleagues with whom she shared an open office. Both Aoibhinn and her younger brother, who is a sales representative, are directors of the business. The non-family MD believes Aoibhinn would be a good fit as successor, however she is reluctant to undertake this role. She sees her brother as progressing towards senior management and wants to give him a chance to be considered |
| Bronagh | Bronagh did not work in her family business from a young age, unlike her older siblings who knew the business as a smaller scale operation. She had no intentions of joining and did a non-business related degree. After college, her father notified both her and her older brother of his intention to step down and checked whether either of them were interested in the business. Her brother, who was working in management, decided to join the business, but Bronagh delayed doing so as she believed she could add no value. Bronagh's father convinced her that she did not need a business degree so she joined in her early twenties in a marketing role. She struggled in her first year with a lack of structure which led her to orchestrate her move into other parts of the business. Her brother is managing director of the business and Bronagh, who is now commercial manager, aspires towards a more senior role as commercial director |
| Caoimhe | Caoimhe worked summers as a teenager in the machinery business founded by her father. She trained as an accountant and worked for many years at an international firm. At her father's request, Caoimhe joined the family business as financial director. She found the transition into the family business daunting due to the lack of structure around her role. Both Caoimhe's younger sister (also a director) and younger brother (a manager based in another company location) work for the business and are shareholders. In terms of succession, Caoimhe believes she is the likely successor. Her father still remains as managing director but his focus is on R&D, whilst the day-to-day running is left to Caoimhe, her siblings and the non-family male general manager, with whom she has a positive working relationship |
| Mairead | Mairead joined her large family business as one of a fourth generation cohort comprised of her and her two male cousins, older brother and younger sister. She completed a business degree and accrued five years' work experience, which included 2 years at a large multinational company. Mairead had no plans to join the family business until her father suggested the idea but exerted no pressure. She joined the family business in her late 20s as a Regional Commercial Manager. Mairead is the first female family member to join the family business (at least at board level). Succession planning is underway but there has been no formal discussion to date. Of the cohort, Mairead is most closely aligned to her older male cousin, who is also a Regional Commercial Manager, and imagines that they will both seek a senior position (as a Commercial Director or Sales Director) |
| Niamh | Niamh was involved from a young age in her family's third generation engineering business. Whilst she was more office based, her younger brother accompanied her father on site visits growing up. She studied a business degree at university and worked outside the family business for three years. While working, her father asked her to consider doing a course to assist the family business to which she agreed. Following completion of the course, Niamh joined the business full-time but was a little concerned initially about specializing in an area that was not of huge interest and had no obvious route to management. Her brother also joined the business full-time but was focused on the operational side. Retiring from the family business, their father asked both children about each undertaking the CEO position on a rolling basis, however Niamh was adamant that her brother should succeed. Niamh's brother is now CEO and she supports him in her role as a senior manager and director |
| Orlaith | Orlaith fondly remembers helping out as a child in her father's healthcare practice. As an adult, she became qualified and worked outside the family business for a few years. During this time, her father was expanding the business by opening new practices. Orlaith's older brother joined the family business first and was followed by Orlaith two years after. Their father retired from practice at the time but maintained involvement as managing director. Both siblings ran their own practices with Orlaith's brother becoming more aligned to the strategic side and Orlaith focusing more on the day-to-day operations. In terms of succession, Orlaith's brother assumed the top spot as managing director. In the same period, Orlaith took a two-year career leave for personal reasons, before returning to the business in a part-time role whilst completing a diploma. She deliberately stepped aside from management to focus on raising her young family. Orlaith, who is also a director, intends to take on a full-time executive role in the future |
| Róisín | Róisín worked weekends as a kid in her family business. It was always her intention to work elsewhere so that she might eventually bring a new perspective to the family business. She completed a finance degree and gathered over a decade of outside experience. Both her younger and older brothers worked in the business during this time. For five years, Róisín provided consultations to the family business whilst working full-time outside. As this became too demanding, Róisín gradually moved into the family business, starting one day a week before joining full-time as Business Operations Manager. This role was designed to oversee the departments that support the core businesses run by her two brothers. Róisín also has an older male cousin who is general manager and her father is managing director, although he is less focused on the day-to-day operations. In terms of succession, her father is in the process of transferring a portion of shareholding to Róisín (equal to that of her brothers). Róisín envisions a shared leadership arrangement between her and her two brothers or sees herself as successor rather than her father choosing between two equally capable sons |
| Eimear | Eimear's family business was founded by her grandparents and grown by her father and aunt who each manage two separate businesses within the group. Eimear remembers her brother and male cousins working in the factory growing up, whilst she had minimal involvement as the work never enthused her. She qualified as an accountant and worked for an international firm for almost a decade. During her career, she was always aware of dealings in the family business, and took leave from her employment on two separate occasions to work at the family business. Eimear had just finished a career break, when her father asked her to run a newly purchased business under the family group. Having always wanted to run a business, Eimear agreed. Her father is group CEO and her aunt and brother are also group executive directors. There has been no formal discussion about succession but Eimear assumes the previous generation will want to retire in the near future. She sees herself as the likely CEO, given that her brother is not interested in the role, or else as a Co-CEO with her brother |
| Ciara | Ciara was only a teenager when she first joined the family business in a formal position. As was normal at the time, she left school in her teens and did not attend university. She worked in the office of her family business for a few years, before moving to another similar company where she worked for six years. At her father's request, she re-joined the family business where she has remained for close to 30 years. As general manager, Ciara is based in the office and works closely with her younger brother who is the garage and fleet manager. Their father is still managing director and Ciara's two younger sisters work in administrative office positions. Ciara claims they have spoken about succession but nothing formal has been agreed. None of the current generation have shareholding in the business and her father has no plans for retirement |
| Brigid | Brigid always worked summers and weekends in her father's transport business. In college, she studied a business degree and expected to join the family business following her qualification. However, her father told her to work elsewhere and gain valuable experience that she could bring back to the family business. She worked outside for six years before her father asked her to return to help grow the business to the next level. Brigid joined with no specific title or role but worked around the different departments. Her younger brother (next in line) also obtained relevant education and experience and joined the business two years after Brigid. Their two youngest brothers already worked in the business as operatives and were not expected to gain external experience. Brigid's parents began succession planning, of which she had little involvement, and her brother was appointed CEO whilst shares were split equally |
| Shannon | Shannon says passion for her family's food production business was instilled in her from early youth. The business founded by her grandfather is now third generation with her father at the helm. By way of education, Shannon obtained a Master's in business studies and a project management certification. She had no intentions of joining the family business and worked in both the private and public sector. In her early thirties, Shannon was searching for new job opportunities when she suggested to her father that she would work on improving the family business website. Gradually she took on more responsibilities and began full time employment with the family business. Shannon has a wide ranging remit, however her main responsibilities are account management, project management and marketing. Shannon is the eldest of her family, and her sister and eldest brother are company directors. She does not see herself or her sister as CEO but expects one of her brothers to undertake the role or, if not, an external CEO overseen by the siblings as board members |
Source(s): Author's own creation
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