A Systems View Across Time and Space
Table 4 Business profile
From: Ethnic minority entrepreneurship: an examination of Pakistani entrepreneurs in the UK
Brother C | Brother B | Brother A | |
|---|---|---|---|
Recruitment | Unclear if would recruit more people. Work currently too physically demanding to recruit women, but may change in the future as business expands. | Work is too physically demanding to employ women. Easy to recruit staff. Employs part-time staff as they are more “fresh” Employees don’t work as hard as family members. | Will be looking for more staff. Do not employ women as they need to employ “all rounders” and the work is too physically demanding. People they have employed have been too slow so do it themselves. |
Sacrifices | Business affects private life “quite a lot”, no free time to spend with family. Family don’t like him working all the time but they understand and relationship with wife has become stronger. No time to use free flights for holidays from other job. | Family time, no time to take children to the park. “Family business affects nothing”. Does not affect relationship with wife. | No social life. Affects relationship with his wife and children, but not a lot, they have no choice. “Business can take everything, anything you have.” |
Strategy | Not mentioned. | Team work. Upgrade the shop when possible, then start new businesses. | He’s in charge inside the shop, other brothers manages outside the shop like deliveries and stock. |
Motivation | Not mentioned. | Is working hard to support the family, to ensure his children have a good education. Better to work for yourself than someone else. | Not stated. |
Current feelings | Regrets joining the business in hindsight. Keeps business and family relationships separate | Likes to keep learning. Education for his children is key. He doesn’t give up. Social life is only on hold as the business is growing. Only looks forward never back. Keeps business and family relationships separate. Family business means there is trust, honesty and reliability among the family, which you don’t get from working with others. | Keeps business and family relationships separate. Social life is only on hold as the business is growing. Sometimes regrets coming into the family business. Hopefully business will start being more profitable soon. Trust is the key for business, which you get in family businesses. |