IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/rvmgts/v17y2023i1d10.1007_s11846-021-00511-7.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Lessons from family firms: the use of flexible work arrangements and its consequences

Author

Listed:
  • Isabell K. Stamm

    (Technical University Berlin)

  • Fabian Bernhard

    (EDHEC Business School)

  • Nicole Hameister

    (German Centre of Gerontology)

  • Kristel Miller

    (Ulster University, Jordanstown Campus)

Abstract

Ongoing trends towards more flexible work arrangements (FWA) have been accelerated by the Covid-19 crisis. Whilst research has shown the overall benefits FWA can have, limited research has explored whether use and benefits of FWA are equal across differentiated organisational contexts and genders. We suggest that individuals working in their family’s business face less organizational constraints that typically hinder employees from taking advantage of FWA. It could be suggested that these workers may make higher use of FWA than individuals in regular employment because of their entrepreneurial status and nepotistic privileges. Consequently, the aim of this paper is to explore if family members working in their family’s business, work under favourable boundary conditions which enable them to more freely make use of and benefit from FWAs. Utilising representative data from the German Family Panel (pairfam), our comparative analysis based on propensity score matching, suggests that family members working in their family’s business (N = 337) do make greater use of FWA than those in regular employment. Counter to common assumptions, the findings reveal that FWA leads to higher workloads for owner-managers but not for family employees. Furthermore, families working in their business show no differences in how they divide household tasks compared to regular employed families–yet they perceive that division to be fairer. This study extends knowledge by introducing family ownership and kinship ties as important boundary conditions to existing theories on FWA, such as life-course theory. It also provides new insights into the commonly assumed consequences of FWA use.

Suggested Citation

  • Isabell K. Stamm & Fabian Bernhard & Nicole Hameister & Kristel Miller, 2023. "Lessons from family firms: the use of flexible work arrangements and its consequences," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 175-208, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:rvmgts:v:17:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s11846-021-00511-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s11846-021-00511-7
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11846-021-00511-7
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11846-021-00511-7?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kushins, Eric R. & Behounek, Elaina, 2020. "Using sociological theory to problematize family business research," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 11(1).
    2. Sascha O. Becker & Marco Caliendo, 2007. "Sensitivity analysis for average treatment effects," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 7(1), pages 71-83, February.
    3. Marco Caliendo & Sabine Kopeinig, 2008. "Some Practical Guidance For The Implementation Of Propensity Score Matching," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(1), pages 31-72, February.
    4. Dinh, Huong & Strazdins, Lyndall & Welsh, Jennifer, 2017. "Hour-glass ceilings: Work-hour thresholds, gendered health inequities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 42-51.
    5. Jess H. Chua & James J. Chrisman & Pramodita Sharma, 1999. "Defining the Family Business by Behavior," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 23(4), pages 19-39, July.
    6. Rajeev H. Dehejia & Sadek Wahba, 2002. "Propensity Score-Matching Methods For Nonexperimental Causal Studies," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 84(1), pages 151-161, February.
    7. Bertoni, Fabio & Martí, Jose & Reverte, Carmelo, 2019. "The impact of government-supported participative loans on the growth of entrepreneurial ventures," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 371-384.
    8. Lívia Markóczy & David L. Deeds, 2009. "Theory Building at the Intersection: Recipe for Impact or Road to Nowhere?," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(6), pages 1076-1088, September.
    9. Ruud Gerards & Sanne Wetten & Cecile Sambeek, 2021. "New ways of working and intrapreneurial behaviour: the mediating role of transformational leadership and social interaction," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 15(7), pages 2075-2110, October.
    10. Choi, HwaJung & Burgard, Sarah & Elo, Irma T. & Heisler, Michele, 2015. "Are older adults living in more equal counties healthier than older adults living in more unequal counties? A propensity score matching approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 82-90.
    11. Goo Hyeok Chung & Jongwook Pak, 2021. "Is there internal fit among ability-, motivation-, and opportunity-enhancing HR practices? Evidence from South Korea," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 15(7), pages 2049-2074, October.
    12. Katja Köppen & Heike Trappe, 2019. "The gendered division of labor and its perceived fairness: Implications for childbearing in Germany," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 40(48), pages 1413-1440.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Santosh Kumar & Ganesh Rauniyar, 2018. "The impact of rural electrification on income and education: Evidence from Bhutan," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(3), pages 1146-1165, August.
    2. Balaine, Lorraine & Dillon, Emma J. & Läpple, Doris & Lynch, John, 2020. "Can technology help achieve sustainable intensification? Evidence from milk recording on Irish dairy farms," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    3. Jutao Zeng & Jie Lyu, 2023. "Simultaneous Decisions to Undertake Off-Farm Work and Straw Return: The Role of Cognitive Ability," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-21, August.
    4. Liane Faltermeier & Awudu Abdulai, 2009. "The impact of water conservation and intensification technologies: empirical evidence for rice farmers in Ghana," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 40(3), pages 365-379, May.
    5. Simone Bertoli & Francesca Marchetta, 2014. "Migration, Remittances and Poverty in Ecuador," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(8), pages 1067-1089, August.
    6. Wamalwa, Fredrick M. & Burns, Justine, 2018. "Private schools and student learning achievements in Kenya," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 114-124.
    7. Abera Alemu & Zerhun Ganewo, 2023. "Impact Analysis of Formal Microcredit on Income of Borrowers in Rural Areas of Sidama Region, Ethiopia: A Propensity Score Matching Approach," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 14(1), pages 65-85, March.
    8. Tommaso Nannicini, 2007. "Simulation-based sensitivity analysis for matching estimators," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 7(3), pages 334-350, September.
    9. Riccardo Turati, 2020. "Network-based Connectedness and the Diffusion of Cultural Traits," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2020012, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
    10. Gelo, Dambala & Koch, Steven F., 2014. "The Impact of Common Property Right Forestry: Evidence from Ethiopian Villages," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 395-406.
    11. Menale Kassie & Precious Zikhali & John Pender & Gunnar Köhlin, 2010. "The Economics of Sustainable Land Management Practices in the Ethiopian Highlands," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(3), pages 605-627, September.
    12. Masserini, Lucio & Bini, Matilde, 2021. "Does joining social media groups help to reduce students’ dropout within the first university year?," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    13. Dambala Gelo & Steven F. Koch, 2011. "The Welfare Effect of Common Property Forestry Rights:Evidence from Ethiopian Villages," Working Papers 201123, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.
    14. Jekaterina Dmitrijeva, 2008. "Does Unemployed Training Increase Individual Employability? Evidence from Latvian Microdata," Documents de recherche 08-04, Centre d'Études des Politiques Économiques (EPEE), Université d'Evry Val d'Essonne.
    15. Averett, Susan L. & Smith, Julie K., 2012. "Indebted and Overweight: The Link Between Weight and Household Debt," IZA Discussion Papers 6898, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    16. Bagnoli, Lisa, 2019. "Does health insurance improve health for all? Heterogeneous effects on children in Ghana," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 1-1.
    17. Duvendack, Maren, 2010. "Smoke and Mirrors: Evidence of Microfinance Impact from an Evaluation of SEWA Bank in India," MPRA Paper 24511, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    18. D. Mark Anderson, 2013. "The Impact Of Hiv Education On Behavior Among Youths: A Propensity Score Matching Approach," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 31(3), pages 503-527, July.
    19. Daniel Gama e Colombo, 2016. "Impact Assessment of Tax Incentives to Foster Industrial Innovation in Brazil: The Case of Law 11,196/05," Working Papers, Department of Economics 2016_30, University of São Paulo (FEA-USP).
    20. repec:bla:afrdev:v:29:y:2017:i:s1:p:56-72 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. Johar, Meliyanni, 2009. "The impact of the Indonesian health card program: A matching estimator approach," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 35-53, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:rvmgts:v:17:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s11846-021-00511-7. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.