Life Course Dynamics in American Entrepreneurial Families and their Effects on Business Development

家族企业仍然构成德国和美国商业人口的大多数。相应的企业家家庭的特点是形成一个重叠的生命历程网络的特定结构，需要几代人之间的直接谈判。在强调独立性和个性的文化背景下，生命历程的动态发展可能会对业务发展产生缓冲或促进作用。本研究以在德国进行的一项研究为基础，从比较的角度考察了美国的创业家庭。运用扎根理论的方法对六个家庭的访谈材料和商业信息进行了二次分析。这是本研究项目的目标，以开发一个因果模型的三元组之间的个人生活事件，家庭生活过程的动态，并允许定量测试的业务发展。

Family businesses still form the majority of German and American business populations. The corresponding entrepreneurial families are characterized by a specific structure forming a network of overlapping life courses that is in need for direct negotiations between the generations. In the light of a cultural context pronouncing independence and individuality, life course dynamics evolve that may have cushioning or fueling effects on the business development. Based on a study in Germany, this research project looks in comparative perspective at American entrepreneurial families. Interview material and business information on six families is secondarily analyzed via the Grounded Theory method. It is the object of this research project to develop a causal model of the triad between individual life events, familial life course dynamics, and the business development that allows for quantitative testing.