| Members of family business firms may experience difficulties over balancing their work and family life. The purpose of this naturalistic investigation was to design, implement, and evaluate a training program for small family business members, to help them become more effective in a range of activities seen as important for successful business operations. The program was implemented within three family firms, with each firm being considered a case of study. Each case consisted of family business members, who worked together in a business that was owned by one or more members. Training program activities included: (a) self-assessment of the participants' values, definitions, and aspirations regarding the family firm, and comparison of these opinions with assessment information of other members, (b) presentation of family system concepts referenced to challenges of the family firm, coupled with the construction of a genogram, (c) development and consensus of goal statements, (d) identification of obstacles that appear to hinder goal attainment, with concomitant skills training in determined areas of need, and (e) measurement of participants reactions throughout the process including evaluation of what was learned from the experience. Resulting evaluation data were considered according to: (a) relevant circumstances, characteristics, and qualities of the participants, (b) extent to which the program was implemented according to its design and, (c) nature of the benefits that reportedly accrued to participants. Results indicated that family systems concepts and procedures, coupled with customized training appear to be usefully applied to help small family business members increase their knowledge, skills, and abilities in areas of communication, organizational development, and problem solving. Consideration was given to participants reactions, possible program revisions, characteristics of service providers for this kind of program, and recommendations for program replication and continuous program improvement. |
