Leadership in Modern Business Challenges

Chapter 1: Introduction

Background information

In the centre of capitalism, contemporary business environment faces numerous challenges ranging from; increased competitors, demands for more moral and businesses with greater integrity, enhanced resource management, consumer demands, uncertainty due to economic struggles, strict regulations, globalisation, and technological advancement. As a rule, business organizations are forced to seek for ways for survival and sustained growth through adding value in performance – which is deeply dependant on the ability to attract talented employees and effective leaderships practices. Inherently, leaders have the ability to propel a business entity past the increasingly competitive and regulated environment by putting in place strategies and innovative goals. Based on an assertion made by Ghodeswar (2008), positioning a business entity for success and sustainability, especially in such rapidly changing environment, while moving with changes encountered and competitors, requires an effective and strategic leader who can not only recognise those challenges but can also influence its future directions. As argued by Epstein et al. (2010) and Quinn & Dalton (2009), leaders significantly influence the firms culture by moulding the atmosphere, environment, and engagement between employees, whilst anticipating consumer needs. Currently, there exist a number of leadership styles embodying different characteristics, values, and beliefs as well as perception towards its respective followers. The approaches include: transformational, democratic, autocratic, bureaucratic, situational, charismatic, and intergenerational leaderships. The Services industry, a sector that structures its business ideology on the provision of direct-to-consumer services, is one of the fields most affected by challenges and complexities of the business ecosystem. This sector which consists of industries such as entertainment, transportation, plumbing, tourism, banking, and restaurant, is the most dynamic and complex - facing numerous challenges largely associated with its solely dependence on direct engagement and connection with consumers. Credited to competitiveness, changing consumer needs, and regulation in the field, the Leisure industry, which encompasses recreation, entertainment, sports, and tourism (REST) has greatly focused adopting radical changes. One industry in particular which has witnessed drastic changes is the food sector - especially due to rising concerns surrounding healthy living, environmental impacts, animal abuse, and human rights concerns (Mant, 2018). Over the past decade, a range of products offered directly through company’s outlets, or the rising online platforms and delivery services, such as Uber-eat, have transformed the industry by overhauling its traditional values, culture, and perception, towards demands in the market. As observed by Gosden, 2016; Kelly and Bates, 2016), this has had an impact on the quality, value, product range, and satisfaction levels of the consumers. Broadly speaking, this has come at a time when changes are forcing all players in the industry, regardless of size or success level, to either conform to new ways of conducting business, or be forced out (Mant, 2018). In the context of restaurants in the UK, the sector has been in existence for quite some time, evolving with changes in the food industry, with many diversifying to capture growing opportunities such as; healthier food demands, fast food, guillotine and flat free products, and vegan foods. Currently, the UK is lined up both high-end established in the past decades embracing new eating cultures and traditional restaurant founded on social and cultural values. Despite the increase in globalisation and diversification in both internal and external business environments, findings demonstrate that most of the restaurants and hotels in the UK are family-run, amounting to 81% of the market share (Law et al., 2013; Walker, 2016). The UK food industry is characterised by sub-sectors ranging from traditional coaching inns, trattorias, and curry houses founded by first-generation immigrants, to modern restaurants businesses driven by modernised and changing food culture (ibid). Numerous studies have delved into the generational differences in aspects such as beliefs, values, and culture, both in consumers’ and organizations’ perspectives. The findings have highlighted significant differences in attitudes, values, and perceptions towards core social elements (Dwyer, 2009; Al-Asfour, and Lettau, 2014; Bennett et al., 2012). The multi-generational difference is evident in the expectations and perception towards products in consumer point of view while embracing changes and consumer demand in organizational perspective (Williams et al., 2010). Family-owned businesses where management and leadership is passed down generations is not a new idea. These businesses are built around successful conservation and transfer of values, ideas, and culture held by their founders. This influences approaches and organizational culture, as well as future preparation for respective sustainability and growth. Despite the importance of succession to the continuity of the family business, recent research shows that approximately 30% of family businesses survive past the first generation and only 10% to 15% survive to a third generation (Muriithi et al., 2016; Forbes, 2014; Aronoff, 1999).

Problem statement and justification

Limited studies have focused on the understanding of intergenerational leadership and the way it influences private firms or family owned businesses. This means that lack of such an understanding undermines the growth and impact of the leadership spectrum during the course of business growth. The assertion prompts investigation on family-run restaurants in Edinburgh. This investigation will provide data and subsequently analysed findings about ways intergenerational leadership affect the growth of a family-run restaurants in Edinburgh. This research intends to investigate intergenerational leadership approach as adopted by family-run businesses. It will then analysis its effects in relation to relevant case studies. Lastly, it will issue recommendations for future strategic planning from leadership perspective relative to the leisure industry. This could be beneficial for any SME or family-run business or businesses in the sector, especially towards developing positive impact, growth, and sustainability of the family’s businesses and legacy.

Aim of this study

The research aims to explore ways in which intergenerational leadership can influence the growth of a family restaurant business by focusing primarily on hospitality and leisure industries.

Research Objectives

To achieve the overall research aim, this study identified and the following four objectives:

To analyse case studies on leadership and decision-making literature To identify factors that influence successful family run restaurants To explore the significance of leadership in family-owned businesses To analyse leadership style and ways it affects the successful growth and sustainability of the family-owned restaurants.

Dissertation outline

Structurally, this dissertation is subdivided into six chapters, each formulated to carry distinct concepts of the study, the sum of which collectively form a complete and comprehensive document aimed at; adequately solving research problem, answering pre-formulated questions comprehensively, and addressing the aim deeply. The first chapter is an introductory section consisting of explanations on conducting this study - including outlining the opportunities and issues beneficial to exploring core research variables. Broadly, it offers the benefits, opportunities explored, and issues in need of solving when studying intergenerational leaderships relating to family-owned businesses. In the second chapter, the literature review, this study explores and analyses the existing, peer-reviewed and published material – books and articles – which is driven by the need to capture the findings, discussion, inferences, and conclusion based on this research’s core variables. The chapter is focussed on developing themes whilst discussing, through critical analysis, key concepts, theories, frameworks, and models as employed by preceding studies in the field. Chapter three consists of methods followed in answering and addressing pre-formulated questions and objectives in a systematic manner. It outlines research methods and an ideological framework that drove the entire research process, its data collection methods, the analysis approach taken, and ethical consideration observed. The fourth chapter highlights the data collected in the form of findings and subsequent analysis. In the subsequent chapter, it discusses the findings, relating them back to the existing concepts, theories, and models, along with discussions in previous studies. Lastly, the conclusion and recommendation section summarise the research process while developing inferences on the research topic, based on data collected and analysed. Moreover, it outlines recommendations - based on its own challenges, limitations and findings - for areas to be explored, discussed, and focused on in future studies.

Chapter 2: literature Review

Overview

This section of the paper presents a narrative for the scholarly articles that touch on the substantive findings, methodological, and theoretical contributions to the research topic. In this context, the research focuses on existing literature on case studies in relation with the leadership and decision-making, factors behind the success of the family run restaurants, leadership theories covered through literature, leadership styles that need to be observed in determining the success and growth of the family-owned businesses.

2.1 Case studies on leadership and decision making literature

De Sousa (2015) took noted the connection between decision-making and leadership as seen through multiple case studies. The author opines that the decision-making process entails; the problem, objectives, alternatives, implementation and evaluation of the decisions people make on daily basis. The process should reflect the components as well as the traits of the leaders and the organizational culture. The basic concepts that De Sousa (2015) looked at included decision, which was descried as the routine of the organization, and it entailed choosing the alternatives that need to be implemented. Decisions can attain the strategic level if the set objectives are meant to achieve specific purposes. Other decisions can be grouped as tactical depending on the operational level. Another concept is the decision-making process, which constitutes the actions. As well as the dynamic factors that influence the identification of the stimulus, it also calls for the specific outcome of the decision. Ferrell and Fraedrich (2015) believed that any decision-making process would include a number of elements such as: the intelligence activity, the design step, and the activity of decision making - which comprises of evaluation and making a choice on the best alternatives. A number of steps need to be observed in order to address the three key areas. These include: the perception of opportunity or problem, evaluation of the alternatives, the selection of the alternatives that need to be implemented, and formulation of the alternatives. Jensen and Ahmed-Kristensen (2010) confirms that leadership and decision-making are inseparable entities that both gain from the value of knowledge. This is the case in business or the process of product development. Jensen and Ahmed-Kristensen (2010) indicated that a number of the decision-making models can be used in literature as the guiding tool of the problem-solving process. Knowledge forms the basis of all the processes and would largely be classified as explicit and tacit (Collins, 2010; Singh, 2008). The application of the decision-making process and the scope of leadership can appear in a case study of a medium-sized company. It emerged as the market leader for over thirty years, which made it, sometimes, struggle with immature and unstructured development processes. The situation exerted more pressure on departments. Subsequent meetings would be held as leaders share wise experience, knowledge processes, and decision-making, which saw a change in the way of doing things and handling operations. Based on this, it should be noted that leadership plays a guiding role to different situations and problems. Apart from the decision-making processes, Shapiro and Stefkovich (2016) indicated that leadership would be tailored to promote as well as emphasize on the ethical behaviour. Among the modern challenges seen in almost every organization, there has been a reasonable gap of ethical as well as moral leadership in both the society and schools. Shapiro and Stefkovich (2016) further indicated that in any homogenous society, ethical decisions are paramount and easier to follow because of the influence of norms as well as expectations. The growing pluralistic society, however, tends to encourage individual freedom, the power of reason and a sense of moral value. A case study of a traditional classroom looks beyond the professional work environment. Such an environment presents students with text-based formats, group discussions, and role-play among others. However, practitioners would fail to follow the guidelines in their daily actions, which lead to a learning gap that might have a subsequent impact on life experiences. Shapiro and Stefkovich (2016) believe that leadership should lead to changes in a group, society, or organization, depending on the structures and the context. The theories of ethical leadership guarantee the reflective practice of some of the leaders that rely on the multi-paradigm approach in determining and influencing domains that revolve around ethics of justice, profession, care, and critique.

2.2 The significance of leadership in family-owned businesses

It is of concern that the subject of leadership is equally handled in the family-run restaurants where the issue of succession is said to yield, among many other problems, family divisions. According to the findings by Beyrouti (2010), most of the family business are normally large as well as successful as a result of the organizational structure with family members taking key positions within the organizational hierarchy. Based on the case study on family-based businesses, most of them bear different division of power as well as the organizational structure (Craig et al., 2008; Woodfield, and Husted, 2017). Across most family businesses, leadership positions are always inherited by the commonly known successors. Successors are the key components of the succession plan and should show the capacity of taking the ownership in case the presiding CEO dies or is stripped off the leadership responsibilities due to the incapacity. Most family firms, including family-run restaurants, would largely embrace personal, relationship-centred, and direct approaches. This is slightly different from the non-family businesses, which rely mainly on the task centred, detached, and formalized approaches. The significance of leadership across the family-owned businesses is tapped from the understanding of the seniors, as well as mentors with regards to mentoring, parenting and the entire succession process. Most of the seniors would end up negotiating the mentoring process at the beginning of the process as juniors are engaged in real job experiences and commitment to the business. This is one case that indicates the understanding of the impact of leadership among the family-owned businesses. Across this type of business, mentors would always promote a successful leader where two types of leaders are nurtured as argued by Beyrouti (2010). First, the transactional leaders are believed to develop characteristics that would motivate most of the subordinates in performing some of the responsibilities, acquire confidence, identify goals and meet the desirable performance levels. On the other hand, transformational leaders would essentially encourage members by performing the normal expectations in an exceptional way. This is largely accompanied by inspirations and a focus on the high-level goals as leaders keep articulating the mission from time to time. Transformational leadership is highly withheld based on the fact that leaders would be charismatic in a way that inspires pride, respect and faith as far as the sense of the vision and mission are put into consideration. Ward (2016) insists that being a leader in a family business is completely different from other leaders in different business systems. Most of the leaders in a family context are always trapped in a dilemma where they have to choose between preserve or change, competence or equality, family first or business first, public or private, independence or overcrowding, fairway or midway, individuality or community and groom or weed. The constitution of the family leadership comprises of close ties that go beyond family relations. According to Bindah (2017), this suggests that the leader has to empower, delegate and even adopt the participative leadership style. The significance of the leadership in a family-ran restaurant entails the essence of transparency, especially when it comes to financial matters and accountability. Tribble et al. (2017) confirm that such leaders are expected to adopt issue based perspective while taking care of interests of different people in equal measure. Communication channels need to be kept active as far as frequent updates are put into consideration. Family business leadership need to establish a connection back to the society as far as social activities are put into consideration. This gives room for the family members to remain more connected. Ward (2016) looked at the importance of family business leadership via a 4-L framework. The framework takes account of the significant characteristics of the business where members are closely relayed. The framework shares the paradoxes behind the family firm leaders as far as conventional systems are put into consideration. The learning phases are normally incorporated to facilitate a successful family firm with priorities, paradoxes, pathways, apprenticeship and stewardship being introduced in each of the learning phases.

However, this may not apply to all family firms because of different structures, pressures, competitiveness, the size of the business and family interests. This is what makes it necessary for assumption of leadership to happen after confirmation of the four stages. Barrett (2014) pointed that the first phase constitutes the apprenticeship where the CEO, or the apparent heir, should learn the skills and the ownership structures of the business. However, in writing Scott and Webber (2008) largely recommended that the training happen beyond the family business. This is based on the fact that the learning priority should instil personal proficiency that include technical business skills, people skills and self-management (Frankenberger et al., 2013; Scott and Webber, 2008). Most of the self-management skills are more personal and attitude-based and would largely comprise of self-reliance, responsibility, attention, personal discipline and a sense of pride. Pathways would come in the second phase where the family members are expected to accept uncertainty. Pathways are critical and posit a challenge when trying to protrude values that can suit the context of the business. Such circumstances would force the business to tap into the broad management philosophy where a younger generation would choose to adopt the cautious approach, honesty and hard work as part of the key business principles. Stewardship defines the essence of leadership in phase where more attention is directed to learning how to lead the business based on the demands of the culture of trust and self-discipline (Caldwell, 2008; Pearson, and Marler, 2010.). This is also accompanied by perspicacity, where the issue of family and business, and the relationship to the life cycle need to be put into consideration. This further leads to management of the intergenerational relationships as observed in the transitional succession and, the understanding of the complementary behaviour. Both the manager and the heir are equally important in this phase and share the mutual responsibility between the young generation and the founders. The last phase includes Prescience, which includes putting the eventual leader at the helm of the family firm (Barrett, 2014). Therefore, leadership is an endless process that is repeated in cycles of generations. According to Till & Petrany (2013) and Seaman et al. (2019), this happens in a manner that sees one generation pass on the values, skills, norms and the entire culture to the next generation without making critical changes.

2.3 Leadership style and ways it affects the successful growth and sustainability of the family-owned restaurants

As seen before, the success of the family business stays put in the attention directed towards both growth and sustainability of the respective restaurants. This follows the analysis done by Dingman and Stone (2006) who believed that leadership styles are invested in the leadership theories that range from the trait theory to the contingent theories and from the transformational styles to the transactional styles among others. Some of the earlier theories that have mentioned in this discussion include transactional leaders, transformational leaders, participative leaders and other types. However, Cater and Justis (2009) are more passionate about servant leadership. The authors alluded to the fact that autocratic, hierarchical, and traditional models are essentially giving room for newer models of leadership, which constitutes or is characterized by care and compassion, ethical behaviour and encourages participative decision making. As pointed by Liden et al. (2008), the new approach is dubbed as servant leadership with the term dominating the business world in the 1970s. Servant leadership informs on the highest form of service by embracing emotional stability, moral conviction and strong self-image among other key components of leadership. While family business would put more interest in relational power, moral development, and autonomy, servant leadership is a composite of values encouraged through agents and principles as far as passion and family values are put into consideration. The responsibility and the interests of the leaders are assessed against or based on the original values, the goals of the business and the desires of the family as stipulated in most of the Indian-based family run businesses.

2.4 Factors that influence successful family run restaurants

Healy (2014) noted that almost every restaurant has a craving for success and wishes to operate in a profitable dimension. However, restaurants are forms of business that record the highest rate of failure. Most of them would encounter a failure rate of around 26% across the first year of the operation (Bellini, 2016). A similar case study showed that over 61.4% of the restaurants would hit business failure in the third round of their operation. The failure rate, as observe across the English restaurants, is high due to easy market entry due to lack of entry barriers, lack of significant skills, capital as well as experience as far as the operation of the restaurant business are put into consideration. However, Healy (2014) is still convinced that any restaurant would have or carry the ultimate dream of bearing the critical success factors (CSF). The CSF approach first appeared in the 1960s and more attention was channelled to restaurant operations. CSF has both the internal and the external dimension as far as the competencies of the business is put into consideration. Some of the external dimensions include the market conditions, economic climate and the competitive forces in the market. This also works in line with the findings established by Tran (2011). The author noted that catering industry in Finland is largely characterized by Family oriented restaurants. However, the number of family run restaurants in Finland is significantly less when comparisons are made with other European countries. The difference can be blamed on wide perception seen across the globe that restaurant meals have high prices and most of them only exist in the large cities where they would serve the upper class clients. Apart from the perception, Tran (2011) could still cite some of the success factors that would influence the performance of the family run restaurants. First, the business characteristic has been fronted as the primary area concerning the factors that would influence the success of the restaurants. The business characteristic is always observed in unique aspects within unique environment. The business can easily reap success from the business characteristic, as observed in the case study of Mintzberg. Business characteristic can easily be realized through training business executives while trying to unlock knowledge on business ecology. Secondly, planning instruments or planning tools can help the restaurant to determine or to find the correct strategy. The positive side of the planning instruments, based on the case study of Finland restaurants, revolves around supporting the businesspersons in making the correct decisions through influencing the reasoning process. In addition, the market description has equally been fronted as one of the success factors as far as family run restaurants are concerned. Most of the factors would be retrieved from the shared experiences and comparison of the actual success factors and the perceived factor. The theory behind this view is that business managers or owners of the family-based restaurants would sometimes base their decisions on the theoretical knowledge that would be linked to different viewpoints. However, the idea of market description does not depend on the theoretical knowledge, but the ambitions gained through enormous and practical obstacles. The success factors need to be arranged by the key actors and receive an investment of the resources and skills that would yield change at the end of the day. Harrison (2011) takes a different dimension by arguing that success factors can take a different dimension, which may not reflect the ones that are reviewed in a different environment with different settings. Growth of restaurant industry is not restricted to a particular market but is seen across the global (Bellini, 2016; Aaron Allen, 2019). For example, highlighting the market structure of a restaurant in US, Statista (2018) found the restaurant industry had over 945,000 locations with over 13 million people working in different locations. The number of restaurants is still growing each day, which indicates that the industry is doing well. First, Harrison (2011) indicated that the management experience is the initial platform that can explain the success of the restaurants and their growing numbers in different market settings. The managerial experience notes that a good business is a true reflection of a good leader. Supposedly, a manager should highlight coaching abilities as well as exhibit communication skills, both verbal as well as in writing. The second success factor as noted by Harrison (2011) includes food safety and quality. Annual statistics indicate that over 5000 deaths, 76 million illnesses, as well as 325000 hospitalizations are likely to be reported on annual basis. More blame has been extended to the public eating establishments where contaminated food becomes the breeding grounds for the bacteria and viruses. Therefore, food quality is paramount and would go beyond the definition of food safety. The third success factor is diversity, which should be the case when designing the menu (Hua, and Templeton, 2010). Smaller businesses may not enjoy from the diversity of the menu, as it would be in the case of slightly larger family-based restaurants. Not all people can eat the same food, or not all the services may appeal to the interest of the clients. Therefore, diverse menus are inclusive and look at the market beyond a single group. Another factor is employee retention, which can affect the consistency of the business. As the owners of the family-based restaurant, it is always advisable that employees should be listened to and promise and guarantee them of their growth. If such concerns were clearly addressed, employees would be motivated, and would therefore lead to a subsequent influence on the business performance. In summation, in a business environment that demands leadership practices, which can effective drive an organization to higher performance, mitigating challenges faced in the field such curbing competition, regulation, and heighten consumer demands, identifying opportunities for growth, as well as conforming with change. Studies have explored numerous approach and strategies dubbed leadership styles such as a transactional leaders, transformational leaders, participative leaders, autocratic, hierarchical, and servant leadership each differing from the others by the values and perception held. In family businesses that depends extensively on individuals; from family hierarchy to run and leader the business demand a different leadership practices because individuals with best leadership skills and knowledge that aligned organizational values and organizational changes cannot be outsourced rather picked among the family members. In order to lead an organization to future prosperity, transitioning from one generation while maintaining high performance and growth, leaders need to be nurtured and groomed, acquiring necessary knowledge and skills. Multi-generational learning and leadership grooming has been subject to extensive research, recently looking for effectively transferring leadership skills and knowledge to foster organizational sustainability and future performance. However, little is known about the ways in which such influences effect the services industry, primarily the family-ran restaurants.

Chapter 3: Methodology

Introduction

This methodology chapter describes the systematic and theoretical components adopted in attempt to answer the research questions, address the study aim, and meet stipulated objectives. through observation of the significant methods aligned to the principles linked to establishment of knowledge (Kumar, 2019; Kothari, 2004). It largely encompasses the paradigm, phases of qualitative and quantitative techniques, and the relevant theoretical model. As far as the research aims at exploring means through which intergenerational leadership can influence growth across the family restaurant business, this chapter will point out; the philosophical framework to be used, the research methods and design, the study approach, data collection methods, and tools for data analysis.

3.1 Philosophical framework

Research philosophy largely refers to a significant system of beliefs as well as assumptions concerning the development of knowledge. Research philosophy commonly underpins the methodological choice, data collection techniques, analysis procedures and data collection techniques. In the world of business and management, research, as it is in this case, has applicable philosophies which include ontology, epistemology, and axiology (Quinlan et al. 2019). Ontology refers to significant assumptions regarding the nature of reality (Gruber, 2009; Killam, 2013). In the world of business, as well as management research, ontology would observe key objects like the organization’s management, employees, events and even the artefacts (Scotland, 2012). Epistemology, on the other hand, regards the assumptions around the knowledge, legitimacy, and ways in which validity of the same knowledge is communicated (Killam, 2013). Lastly, axiology points at the role of ethics and values linked to the research process (Windt 2015). Researchers commonly apply the axiological skills in extracting judgments based on values and ethics. The assessment of the three frameworks against the research on intergenerational leadership and the growth of family restaurant business, seemingly favour the epistemological framework. The latter convinces the multidisciplinary context attached to business and management, with data ranging from visual and numerical data to interpretations, fictitious accounts, narratives, and stories (Antwi and Hamza 2015). The choice of epistemological framework for this research process is because it is the most convenient framework that paves the way for a greater choice of the relevant methods as compared to other academic disciplines. However, the framework still suffers from a few limitations such providing a complex view behind the organizational realities while accounting for individual contexts and experiences (Levitt et al. 2017). Regardless of the drawback, an epistemological framework remains significant to the research process with regards to the nature of the study itself.

3.2 Research methods and design

Most researches touching on managerial, leadership and business contexts would largely include research methods. The latter introduces a platform that describes the tools to be included in defining the research process. Any research would select from three research methods. These include the qualitative research, quantitative research and the mixed methods (Creswell and Creswell 2017). The qualitative research resonates around the explorative research, which ascribes to either human or social problem or both. It is regarded as being descriptive because it relies on the opinions, suggestions, and feelings of the people towards a phenomenon. Researchers who pick on qualitative method depend on interpretation of themes as well as rely on inductive reasoning. The second one is the quantitative method, which emphasizes on the objective measurements and numerical, mathematical, and statistical analysis of data, which is collected through relevant data collection techniques (Sanoff 2016). This method majorly relies on empirical investigations and numerical data that seeks to justify an argument, hypotheses, and theories among other elements. The last one is the mixed methods, which incorporates the integrated use of the qualitative and quantitative research methods (Vaishnavi and Kuechler 2015). Therefore, it borrows characteristics from both sides and seeks the advantageous use of their respective strengths. Based on these, the research picks on the qualitative research as the convenient method for the research process. First, the qualitative research is felt suit because it can effectively produce integrated case studies on decision making and leadership (Vaishnavi and Kuechler 2015). This is aligned to the fact that subject materials can easily be evaluated at length and in details. Secondly, exploration of the identity factors behind successful family-run restaurants is an area that can be addressed through fluid research frameworks that are described through qualitative research. This informs on the significant patterns of data collection, questioning, as well as information reporting (Patten and Newhart 2017). In addition, adoption of the qualitative research means that the research process will rely on both the human experiences, reported in either primary or secondary contexts, or observations. Lastly, qualitative research can cover such a wide area like intergenerational leadership because it gives room for creativity and desirable quality (Bell et al. 2018). However, the method also suffers from a few setbacks such as data being highly subjective. This means that no significant conclusions can be justified in the course of the research. Regardless of the setback, qualitative research is conveniently placed to handle the research process based on the strengths described. While the research seeks to embrace the insights concerning intergenerational leadership and the growth of family-based businesses, the explorative design was adopted as the research process. The design provides answer to research problems (Creswell and Clark 2017). The design is more convenient in a way that gives room for the researchers to gain the insights as well as familiarity of the investigation that resonates around intergenerational leadership and the success of the family-based businesses (Vaishnavi and Kuechler 2015). The design is advantageous in a way that allows the research to establish the research process based on the background information linked to a certain topic. It equally avails an opportunity of defining new terms and concepts that are felt relevant in the research.

3.3 Study approach

A study approach provides the link between research and theory. The relationship yields two key approaches, which includes the deductive and inductive approach. The inductive approach seeks to generate meanings from significant data for the purposes of identifying patterns and relationships. It is a bottom-up approach that works from observations to conclusions regarding the phenomenon under consideration (Zalaghi and Khazaei 2016). While studying the intergenerational leadership and the growth of family-based restaurants, inductive reasoning is better placed because it brings in the understanding of the dynamics, emergence, resilience and behaviours as well as construed alternative features. This is more appropriate for this proposed study than a deductive approach, which only gives room for prediction of changes and validates the theoretical construct (Singh 2015). An Inductive approach paves way for the research process to work from the research questions to conclusions as regards the significant phenomenon. It equally posits high group or individual attributes within the study. In order to accommodate large data sample while capture the insights underlying features of intergenerational leaderships within restaurant family business, this research adopted questionnaire as data collection method with both open- and close-ended questions

3.4 Data collection method

Data collection is a process involved in collecting information from significant sources for the purposes of responding to the research problem, hypothesis, and tests. There are two categories of data collection methods. First, the primary research fosters acquisition of new as well as original data from trusted sources (Walliman 2017). Sources can be experiments, interviews, observations, and use of questionnaires among others. However, primary research methods call for more time and attention before one can gain significant data. On the other hand, secondary research entails interpretation as well as summarization of the primary data (Brewer et al. 2019). Therefore, the source of data for the secondary research is not new or original. Some of the sources include the journals, reports, magazines, pamphlets, and encyclopaedias among others. In this context, the research adopts the primary research where the process entails making use of the questionnaires. The questionnaire is viewed as an instrument that entails a series of questions for the purpose of collecting data from the respondents (Johnston 2017). As such, this study employed the use of primary sources deploying questionnaires as data collection method. The choice of questionnaires is because they are cost- and time- efficient, and quick primary research tools that have the capacity of collecting voluminous data from relatively large samples of the people.

3.5 Designing a questionnaire

The process of designing a questionnaire is considered crucial. However, the research pays more attention towards the format, wording, as well as the sequence (Rowley, 2014; Brace, 2018). The attention can be extended to classification of the knowledge, behavioural and perception questions. Based on this, the research first looks at the type of questions to be included in the questionnaire (Testa and Simonson 2017). The research includes both open ended and closed ended questions. The open-ended questions attract the opinions, ideas, and suggestions from the respondents. Therefore, these questions put no limits to the respondents. For instance,

What is your thought concerning intergenerational leadership?

Answer: I think intergenerational leadership is exceptional and more recommendable for the family-based businesses. It influences continuous growth.

Secondly, this research included close-ended questions, which provide multiple choices from which the respondent is required to choose only one answer based on his or her knowledge. The questions adopted the binary options, where only two choices are appended to the question, or the 5 Likert scale where the options are meant to rate the strength of emotions and attitudes. For instance,

To what extent do you consider that intergenerational leadership influences the organizational culture?

The Likert scale ranged from 5-1 with the highest value indicating the most positive response. In addition, the questions followed a logical sequence where simple questions regarding general knowledge will appear first before narrowing down to specific questions (Bird 2009). Again, the question checked the transition from one question to the next one.

3.6 Pilot Study

The research engaged a pilot study before conducting the actual study (Arain et al., 2010; Kim, 2011). This came one week before the actual study for the purposes of making significant corrections from possible errors that are likely to be committed on the eve of the research. The pilot study included engaging 10 students in a questionnaire that contained at least 6 questions. This paved the way for evaluation of; time taken to respond to all questions, the kind of knowledge respondents are likely to have, and the mode of responding to the questions. A classroom would suit the pilot study before determining the pre-research findings.

3.7 Sampling

The forms were issued to 250 participants with the willing ones expected to share their contacts for the purposes of sharing research updates individually. The questionnaire was shared on Survey Monkey website with an invitation to potential participants sent randomly through emails, social media, and word-of-mouth. Nevertheless, the participants were required to be either in managerial or owning family business primarily a restaurant. The specification of the size (market share, financial return, or number of employees) and performance were not a requirement for participation as they were perceived non-core in development and fostering leaderships skills and ideology although goes a long way in determining whether the approach succeed or not.

3.8 Data analysis method

Data analysis is regarded as the process of cleansing, inspecting, modelling, as well as transforming data with the intension of discovering meaningful information. Thematic coding sometimes referred to as thematic analysis, was used in this context to analyse the collected data (Braun et al. 2019). The process entails recording the identified passages, images, and texts that can be linked to a certain themes or ideas, thereby paving way for indexing. The choice of thematic coding as the appropriate analytical tool is because the method is more convenient for qualitative research (Vaismoradi et al. 2016). Therefore, the tool was expected to be meaningful in pinpointing, recording, as well as examining patterns that can appear within the collected data. The patterns are referred to as themes, which can be tailored in a way that can address the phenomenon under study. Identification of patterns is centred on coding the collected data into themes by taking core respondents’ opinions under one umbrella of similar meaning such consumer satisfaction, organizational growth, and engagement. The collected data was grouped into nodes holding similar thought train using Nvivo.

3.7 Ethical considerations

The research takes into ethical considerations as far as the welfare of the participants is put into consideration. First, the research paid attention to the principle of consent capturing core elements of the research such as objectives, aim, intended usage of acquired data and information, data handling and storage. To reach out to the potential participants, the researcher ensured each was adequately informed of the scope and aims of the research as well as handling and use of the prior going to the site to fill the questionnaire. Participants were issued with a consent form seeking the participant’s declaration of having read, understood and agreed to the terms of the research. Secondly, the research did not jeopardized or compromised the anonymity of the participants. The personal details shared through the consent form were only used for research purposes and not any other reason that it portrayed breach of rules on the side of the researcher. Moreover, in attempt to maintain authenticity and relevance of the data collected and information gathered, it ensure all collected and used data and information either from secondary or primary sources were represented accurately and accordingly.

Chapter 4: Findings and Analysis

Introduction

An investigation into how adopting an intergenerational leadership approach in a family-run restaurant influences performance can be measured by financial outcome, quality of services and products, business sustainability, consumer employee satisfaction, and market share. In an attempt to address the research topic and its associated aims and questions to a satisfactory level, this research identified a number of objectives, gave direction to the research process. To gathering of data that would address the questions, objectives, and aims, raised at both the initial stages and during the research process, followed a structured, systematic approach. This study was characterised by adopting the epistemological and ideological frameworks. Importantly, given that this research was focused on exploring elements of intergenerational leaderships in relation to influence they hold within a family-run business - which necessitated developing a deep understanding of this relationship - through a qualitative research approach. This qualitative approach offered a platform to gain an understanding of the underlying reasons, opinions, and motivations behind intergenerational leadership and running a family business. Lastly, questionnaires with both open- and close-end questions were used as a data collection method, with participants being 124 out of 250 individuals, selected as a population sample -representing 49.6% response rate. The criterion of identifying and selecting a population sample, and subsequently the participants, was random but subject to running or managing (owning) a family-run restaurant.

4.2. Findings

4.2.1: Years under operation

The questionnaire had a question on the time period the business has been operating, from the day of its launch. Respondents gave varying responses which, given that the participation was random, which highlighted the different individuals from different entities. According to the responses given, the oldest business unit started operation in early 1900s with one participant stating, “…actually, the business was originally started by my great-great grandparents then passed down the generations...” Several participants credited their grandparents as start-ups of a business entity that later become a family business. In summary, the table below shows distribution grounded within 10-year period between the oldest 1900s to youngest business started 4 years ago. It is notable that most of these businesses have been in operation for a considerable period of time, while others are still young, having only opened in the last decade. From the table above, the business distribution based on the year it was founded, is seen to lie between 1900s and present day, but with most starting operations after 1980s. Participants indicating that the business established before 2010 had the highest number of entrants (29 participants), while the businesses which started operation between 1900s and 1930s were the lowest. Although most of the participants responded to the questions, 9 either skipped or stated “not sure” to the year the business was founded (Appendix II, table 1).

4.2.2: Founders of the Business

Another key feature the questionnaire explored was the relationship between the business founders and research participants. Most respondents stated either their parents or grandparents as founders. One participant stating, “…it was founded by my grandparent, then passed down the generations with ownership currently being shared among my siblings….” A considerable number of respondents stated starting the business individually, then noting that it was run as a family entity rather than sole proprietorship. Others responded that it was a joint venture among family members. Broadly, the responses given varied from founded by the participants, to fourth generation ownership. The researcher catalogued the responses into generational owners in attempt to give a broader perspective on the inheritance and sustainability of the business over the years. The table below represents this. It is worth noting that generation represents the times the business has been passed down from parent to children through inheritance or, take over as new managers or owners. For instance, 1st generation means they either founded or acquired the business firm themselves while 2nd meaning they acquired owners from the parents (guardians) who originally established it. From the table 2 (appendix II), the majority of the participants indicated being either founders or having acquired the business themselves represent 45% of the responses. Moreover, 31 and 15 respondents mentioned being 2nd and 3rd generation respectively, while 14 respondents did not provide an answer to the question.

4.2.3: Business classification

This research focused on determining the nature of the businesses being operated by the participants or family members. The belief was that the nature measured in size and classified as micro, small-sized, medium-sized, or large-sized enterprise, has a significant influence on the leadership approach adopted and, importantly, the measure of success of such an approach. The participants were directly asked to classify the business based on number of individuals employed directly by the business. For example, a waiter or cook where micro enterprise employs 1-3 individuals, small enterprise having 4-10 employees in its rank, medium size enterprise employing between 11 and 50 individuals, while large entities employing more than 50 people (Appendix II, table 3). From the table above, this research leaned more towards small-sized enterprise because most of the respondents’ businesses (50.8%) were within the category (Appendix II, table 3). Presumably, the information provided by the respective respondents will be based on the experiences and information accessed from direct interaction with family members running the business, or themselves being part of managerial team in the firm.

4.2.4: Nature of business activities

This study answered the questions on core activity the family business operates in and aimed to develop an understanding of the extended to which the leaders were involved in its overall management and running. Initially, assumption held was that different business entities command different levels of involvement within those services. Or that they technologically depended more direct input because of continuous changing nature of the industry. It is worth noting that on individuals with businesses in the services industry particularly, restaurant entity was a requirement for participation. However, the questionnaire enquired on the core profit, generating activity, setting precedence on elements that were held by management and leaders as core to their business’ success and sustainability. The responses from the respondents varied widely from “we serve coffee” to “the business offers general dinning and sleep-in services” because of the open-ended nature and different organizational cultures and strategies held. The table below outlines summarised responses to the question. The table 4 (appendix II) shows that most participants indicated having café or its related activities as core operations driving the business entity. Notably, three participants did not respond to the nature of the activities the business undertakes, with the rest stating operations ranging from dealing primarily with coffee as a coffeehouse, cafeteria, café, food truck, casual dining, buffet, to full dining restaurant. One participant stated, “… the business offers mainly dining services with variety of food menus include beverages, main dishes, desserts, and fruits.”

4.2.5: Key decision makers

The questions on decision makers aimed to highlight the decision-making process while trying to establish the hierarchy within the firm. Responding to the question, most participants stated family end in the form of either close family member (parents), uncle, aunt, siblings, or grandparents. The table 5 (appendix II) shows that in most businesses, immediate family members, particularly the parents are key, if not primary, decision makers - representing 50% of the response. Some participants maintained that their parents to be having “full control” of the business. Furthermore, the data indicates that a large number of family business are controlled by grandparents (perceived as first generation owners) making key decision on ways and action to be followed by the firm. The question ‘who is the key decision makers in the firm?’ highlighted the following reaction. According to one respondent, “I would say my grandfather because, before taking major action or operation that is perceived to affect the operations of the business, he has to be consulted” while another participant stated “…my grandmother has to okay key approaches before implementation, so I guess she is…”. In some instances, the management and decision-making process of an organization was left entirely to ‘outsiders’ -individuals with no family ties to its ownership structure. In this case, the respondents acknowledged key function and operations of the business entities being under individuals who were family members either appointment or representation. One participant stating, “…. Our family appointed a representation to run the business ensuring the best interests of the firm are consider while thinking about the ways forward….” Notably, individuals responsible for making key decision about an organization may be more than one as demonstrated by some participants. Some indicated decision making as a shared responsibility reached through consultation among family members. Particularly, one respondent stating “… my parents and I hold regular joined meetings to discuss and outline plans regarding the future of the restaurant…,, therefore, decision is shared among the three of us..”

4.2.6: Leadership importance to the business performance

In an attempt to delve into the perception and attitude towards the leadership, this research sought to determine the extent to which the participant regard the influence it has on performance of the business. The responses were categorised from very important to not important with 5 choices being given. A significantly high number of participants perceived leadership as a core factor towards business performance with 104 responding to the effect as very important or important. Furthermore, 7 individuals viewed the concept of leadership as either not important or slightly important while 9 stating having moderate effect on the business performance (Appendix II, table 6). As significant majority of respondents comprising of more than 84% held that leaders go a long way in determining the success or failure of a business, this confirms the view that most perceive a firm’s performance as centred on its leaders.

4.7: Intergenerational leadership on long-term business decisions

On the relationship between intergenerational leadership and business decision in long-term perspective, the findings indicated a considerably strong agreement that the former has influence significantly on determining the business long-term strategies. The participants strongly believe that intergenerational leadership approach has a relation to the long-term strategy and decision. Significantly, participants who strongly agreed on the assertion, relating the leadership approach to the strategizing and formulation of roadmap into future organization sustainability, had the highest representation with 46% of the responses. Collectively, participants who agreed or strongly agree with the view were more than 69%. They demonstrated the extent to which such generational awareness and position is taken by nurturing future leaders and leadership practice. On the other hand, only 19 respondents held a contrary perspective by disagreeing or strongly disagreeing with the assertion (Appendix II, table 7).

4.8: Challenges associated with intergenerational leadership

Next the research questioned the challenges faced by the family business in adopting and integrating intergenerational leadership practices through nurturing and setting in place structures that ushers future leaders. According to the respondents, implementation of the leadership practices across different generations can being very challenging with many indicating various problems. One participant identified that “…current leaders have different values and expectation with young generation… for example my father and I have disagreed mostly on the strategies and values the business should follow…” Similarly, another respondent stated “…the older generation, baby boomers, have a difference in views and expectation of the businesses from other generations…” Acknowledging the changes internal and external organizational environments caused by consumer demands, competition, technological advancement, and regulations, some respondents viewed failure by older generations in leadership position to conform and transform within changes as the biggest barrier. Some participants said that “…those in leadership position much be aware of the changing needs of both the consumer and employees such as adopting technology to make work more efficient...” A few had the view that some current leaders have reservation and are sceptical of the young generation, limiting the grooming and developmental process stating: “...in my case, the person in leadership position perceive the young generation as lazy and not mature enough to hold leadership position…” In addition to limited structures for growth and nurturing leadership skills, some participants indicated the different values and beliefs, as well as goals on the current and future of the business pointing “…those in leadership position expect younger generations to exert same commitment, long working hours, and respect structure hierarchy without questioning…”. Some are not allowed to criticise the approaches taken by family heads on factors concerning the business “...some decision taken may not be to the best interest of the business but holding differing opinion may be perceived as being rebellious and against the family…. not allowed to have a negative view that seem to contradict that held by family heads”. Furthermore, several respondents held that in most cases the head (leaders of the family business) tend to be authoritarian in addition to being disciplinarian imposing strict rules and high expectations with little regards to engagement and personal freedom. One participant holding, “…both my parents have strict work ethics and high expectation that at times make it hard to work with them” another respondent stating, “… strict working conditions with constant supervision and low personal freedom are some challenging factors in working in family business.” Communication barriers was another apparent challenge facing the leadership approach where several respondents purporting to different in efficient ways of sharing information among the employees and management as well as communicating to the consumers and other shareholders in an effective manner. According to respondents, “…the current business ecosystem characterised by high consumer demands and driven by globalisation and technology need a communication platform structured to effectively reach the intended persons and without redundancy….using such approaches as emails, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can solve the problem but mostly older generation prefer traditional methods…” Similarly, some of the responses indicated leaders within ‘baby boomers’ generation (individuals born between early 1940s and 1960s) perceived the younger generations, especially the Millennials (individuals between 1980s and early 2000s), as difficult to work with – with the majority demanding constant supervision, lacking individuality, working ethics, and having totally different expectations and perspective of the workplace. According to responses of one participant stating, “…holding a constructing communication with this young blood who sees us as old and outdated individuals is particularly hard because mostly you will find them on the mobile phones and laptops chatting or playing games constantly…”. Another respondent to the question had a view “…most of these young generation and future leaders wants to work less but expect quite financial rewards...with this new generation the old values of hard work pays is dead.” Another repeating theme noted was the stereotyping of different age groups; where the young perceive older as strict with an emphasis on the working hard with little regard of changing the working environment and consumer demand. Some stated “…most are stuck in their older ways”. While older generation perceiving younger generation, particularly Generation X (individuals born between 1960s and early 1980s) and Millennials, as entitled, too much eager to challenge norms and held values, and tech-obsessing to the point of one participant lamenting: “this young generation think they can solve every problem with tech…or introducing new way of life…” From the responses, one could deduce that different family business faced different challenges and problems in integrating business leadership approaches and practices. Although some respondents cited workplace cohort as major problems faced, parameters such as: differing expectations, perception, beliefs, age difference, limiting interaction, values, communication, changing internal and external environment, incentives, and negative stereotyping were dominant challenges encountered in running family businesses.

4.9 Alternatives approaches from leadership towards business success

The responses to the question on alternative factors, which would steer a family business into higher performance and success, differed considerably. Respondents stated, “I think core areas that need addressing urgently for business success and performance is dealing with issues related with employees-leaders engagement and relation…having an environment where those in leadership position can associated and mingle freely with their juniors and subordinates will ultimately lead to better services and product quality hence enhanced performance”. Similarly, another respondent held that developing a workplace focusing on encouraging both the leaders and employees through structured motivations, incentives, and involvement in decision making is reflected in better individual and team performance, stating “…people are motivated by incentives and encouraging organizational culture.” Several respondents posited that structuring the business to reflect its ideals and values, while considering the internal and external changes - for instance, integration of effective communication system, moving with political and social changes, and adopting consumer-oriented business values and culture - ultimately propels into successful operations. In this context, the responses received include: “… consumers are fundamental driving forces towards business success therefore the focus should be on them” “…the business needs to concern itself on the changing internal and external changes such as employees and consumers’ demands and working regulations and environmental regulations.” Another individual stated: “…having business idea but without a way of reaching out the consumers in a timely manner and effectively is considered a failed idea and business, hence all the business should prioritise on that…” Broadly speaking, business entities face different challenges hence alternatives and solution proposed by the participants varied to accommodate individual faced challenges. Nevertheless, in summarising the responses on the question, the following key factors were captured. From the participants’ responses, most stated factors such as; integration of transformational leaderships, moving with organizational changes, focusing more on consumer needs, enhancing employee-leaders engagement, setting up more efficient communication systems, incentivising employees’ effort, and working towards more encouraging and conducive workplace.

4.10: The business performance in absence of intergenerational leadership

Several participants lamented that the leadership structures in place was core to the organization operations and prosperity holding it to its core values, beliefs, and ideals, which founds its continuity. One respondent stating, “… I belief without the guidance of my father and grandfather, the business wouldn’t be where it is now….and without proper preparation it will take a long time, if it ever, to recover and growth again…” Another respondent indicating, “…the foundation of the business is based on their guidance and insights….in their absence would be severely limited…” Similarly, different respondents to the question held “…future of the business is depended on the transferability of the skills, values, beliefs, and culture of held current leaders to the younger generation…” Nevertheless, several respondents held contrary views in the effect that growth and higher performance by change leadership structures stating, “…changing the current older ‘outdated’ values and operating structures will definitely propel the business into better working condition, ideals, thinking, and perceptions…which are core to future of the business.” Moreover, “…business continuity is dependent on the embracing new ways of thinking and integrating technology and business structure…” Respondents to the question on the extent to which the family business will remaining operational in absence of intergenerational leadership structures had a mixed reaction. Some indicated unsustainability, poor performance, slow growth, and poor working conditions, while the others indicated an introduction of change that would enhance growth, new way of doing things, new thinking, and better performance. On the prospect of changing the leadership structure, responses also varied with the majority indicating intergenerational leadership adopted by the family business as core to its performance and growth hence would change. Statistically, those who would retain the current leadership structure that fosters intergeneration practices were majority with 55.6%, saying they would change (Appendix II, table 8). Contrarily, 33% of the participants indicate they would adopt different approach, while 19% saying unless forced by circumstance demanding new structures, values, and perception, they would run the business with current leadership structures and practices.

4.11: Personality as determining factor of intergenerational leadership practices

According to one participant, “…leadership definitely trickles down to the personality traits…nurturing an individual to inherit the mantle of leading the business into future squarely depends on ones values, beliefs, and commitment to work.” This assertion were widely seen across the respondents’ responses with several lamenting in the effect of ‘being in good terms with the current leaders puts one in high position of taking over the business leadership.’ One respondents held “…my father who is currently leader of the firm, regularly emphasis on values, ideals, beliefs, and culture reflecting those held by the business… hence, to be in leader in future one must adopt those ….” Although few held a contrary, opinions arguing that it was in their birth-right and family hierarchy to ultimately run the business when the time comes with or without prior values and skills required in running it.

4.12: Respondents’ perception on intergenerational leadership within the business

Inherently, most of the respondents indicate the practices having a positive effect on the performance and sustainability of the business, where its best interest is taken into consideration. According to respondents who argued that most of the structures and values currently held by the respective businesses are firmly grounded on the founders’ perspectives, values, and vision as well as work systems, meaning maintaining its business ideas and organizational culture goes down the generations. Many respondents held that, in aim of fostering sustainability, growth, and performance, founding values and culture must be maintained within the business entity that include nurturing and transferring same skills and practices to the future leaders. One respondent stated, “…I think intergenerational leadership is exceptional and more recommendable for the family-based businesses. It influences continuous growth.”

Chapter 5: Discussion

Literature dictates that leadership is a fundamental factor in development and success of not only business entities but the performance of any organization. According to Yuki (2008), leadership is deeply dependent on the clear mission, vision, values, beliefs, culture, and strategies and its focus on working towards influencing sustainability, growth, progress, and heightening performance. In essence, studies have demonstrated the importance of leadership to an organization, pointing that it maximizes efficiency and centre in attaining stipulated goals effectively. Yuki (2008) and Gilley et al. (2009) argued that providing guidance can build morale, and coordinate the organization’s stakeholders, in addition to motivating employees and instilling commitment and workplace culture. Collectively, these act as core elements to prosperity and growth for a business and need to be nurtured and passed down generation in order to ensure organizational culture and values are maintained. Despite taking many forms and perception, core ideology of leadership, whether transformational, democratic, or intergenerational, are based on willingness and ownership of an organization driven by its best interest. As pointed by Porter and Tanner (2012), in any organization, leaders need to have a deep understanding of the concepts, value, missions, strategies, organizational culture, and structural aspects that drives and essential its growth and effectiveness. Building from the Mussolino and Calabrò (2014) assertion, the concept of intergenerational leadership is awareness generational difference through proactive engagement with an individual, from different generation such as ‘baby boomers’, ‘generation X’, and Millennial and are aimed at fostering a transfer of leadership practices, ideals, and continuity. According to the findings, within in sight and deep understanding of the business which includes its core values, mission, internal and external factors, and important history, give the leaders nurtured through intergenerational approach an upper hand towards prosperity, growth, performance, and embracing internal and external inevitable changes. Long-term organizational performance is rooted on strategic planning while considering not just organizational mission and objectives, but a variety of factors ranging including; organizational culture, consumers’ demands, employees’ need, changing regulations and policies, and competition in the market. As a business entity focuses on maintaining continuity and sustainability - through beating competition, adjusting to changing consumer demands, and conforming to the governmental and environmental regulations and policies - a key factor in ensuring these is ensuring its effective transition from one generation to another. The findings highlight multi-generational existence of most businesses with some spanning four generations. Such sustainability and being in operation in such a long period necessitates an effective leadership approach, strategic planning, and in depth understanding of internal and external factors - such as employees’ needs and consumers’ demands. In a family business entity, where leaders and managers are selected and picked from its ranking members, fundamental factors are under consideration for successful implementation of its mission and goals. The core aspect of this is empowering next leaders through coordinating culture, talent mobility, and adopting effective communication system. The findings were in line with agreement posted by Shepherd & Haynie (2009) and Poutziouris et al. (2008) maintaining harmony in family business can at times be difficult where most rarely survive more than one generational transition intact. Although the approach best transfers the culture, history, and ideals of the family business, it can suffer significantly from transitional problems; sibling rivalry, parents-children relationship breakup, failure to adopt better approaches, adjusting to changing environment, and maintaining professionalism in conducting business related activities. Restaurant in service industry are significantly influenced by high consumer demands, perception, and drastic changing in needs and view towards products and services, it demand continuous change in its internal structure and approach to consumers. Consumers have increasingly become aware of the effects of unhealthy eating, reducing high fat products, junk food, environmental concerns, and animal rights coupled with tighter governmental and regulatory body rules of operations. According to Rainey and Fernandez (2012), organization, particularly those in service industry, must adopt continuous and progressive change that include integration of different perception, core structural aspects, ideology, and important leadership method aligning with the needs and demand stakeholders in the field. Lutz et al. (2013) pointed that failure by an organization to adjust and conform to the changes in business environment set dangerous path for its growth, sustainability, and performance. Based on the Namada (2018) and Grant (2016) assertion, the current business environment is characterised by heighten competition, drastic changes, increasing regulation, high consumer demands, and technological advancement, which forces businesses to integrate into its system measures, which fosters continuity through combating such challenges. The findings indicate that the greatest elements intergenerational leadership has is its ability to mould its future by ensuring continuity of organizational culture, proven leadership structure, values, beliefs, and norms – all of which have been big contributing factors to its respective successes over the years. Nevertheless, maintaining such aspects with failure to adjust in line with organizational changes in the environment limits significantly its competitiveness, prompt response to consumer needs and demands, taking advantage of arising opportunities, and streamlining the working conditions. In general, , this can potentially be a downfall for many intergenerational-structured businesses.

Chapter 6: Conclusion and conclusion

Conclusion

In an attempt to address the research aim and objectives on how intergenerational leadership can affect the growth of a family-run business entity - focusing primarily on restaurant industry - this investigation employed a qualitative research approach to offer insight into underlying factors. The oncological philosophical framework was informed by the need to delve into core factors driving intergenerational leadership and multi-generational environment, as well as difference in values, culture, and perception in generations. Before being analysed, using thematic analytic tool, the acquired data through questionnaire were examined for relevance and quality then grouped into themes using Nvivo. The participants were invited to participate in the research through social media, emails, and word of mouth but were required to be in or have owned family business or associated with one before answering the questions. 124 participants responded by answering all the questions in the questionnaire. Recent changes and heighten competition demand for ways in which an organization can effectively operate in such environments, while being profitable, maintaining sustainability, high performance, and being mindful of its uncertainty and competitiveness has never been in emphasis than current. Recently, studies gave largely attributed organizational success and sustainability to several factors that include purpose driven culture, effective communication, diversity, teamwork, employee engagement and loyalty, and positioning itself for future growth. These had result in formulation of several leadership styles such as transactional leaders, transformational leaders, participative, autocratic, hierarchical, and traditional models, which are essentially to giving room for wider ideological perspective and values. Governance of family businesses need an approach that grooms future leaders from family members, which may constitute or be characterized by care and compassion, ethical behaviour which encourages participative decision-making.

The research founded that family-owned businesses demand leaders to measure constantly between; preserve or change, competence or equality, family first or business first, public or private, independence or overcrowding, fairway or midway, individuality or community and groom or weed. The firms can suffer severely from these multi-generational differences because founders, or older generations, mostly expect the values and organizational culture depicted by ways of doing business and operation to be maintained as it offers identity and fear of change. While younger generation may perceive the approaches and structure aspect being redundant and not competitive in changing the organizational environment. In a family-owned business where leadership and management of the firm is passed down generations, inherits more than position but also ideologies, beliefs, and values. These values are core to running sustainably and successfully as a business entity. However, this succession tree can suffer from becoming a limiting factor to the organization progress and performance, due to lack or little regard of changing environment or poor nurturing of leaders – which can result in ineffective leadership approaches.

Limitation

This research employed a questionnaire research approach to shaed light into underlying factors in which intergenerational leadership approach influences performance and sustainability of family-run businesses. The problem with this was that the participants were not verified to satisfy the accuracy of the data provided as the questionnaire filled online (Survey Monkey platform). Follow-up questionnaires were never captured as along with authenticity of the information.

References

Al-Asfour, A. and Lettau, L., 2014. Strategies for leadership styles for multi-generational workforce. Journal of Leadership, Accountability and Ethics, 11(2), p.58.

Antwi, S.K. and Hamza, K., 2015. Qualitative and quantitative research paradigms in business research: A philosophical reflection. European Journal of Business and Management, 7(3), pp.217-225.

Arain, M., Campbell, M.J., Cooper, C.L. and Lancaster, G.A., 2010. What is a pilot or feasibility study? A review of current practice and editorial policy. BMC medical research methodology, 10(1), p.67.

Bachmann, R., Gillespie, N., & Priem, R. (2015). Repairing trust in organizations and institutions: Toward a conceptual framework. Organization Studies, 36(9), 1123-1142.

Barrett, M. (2014). The 4-L framework of family business leadership. In H. Hasan (Eds.), Being Practical with Theory: A Window into Business Research (pp. 72-79). Wollongong, Australia:

Beyrouti, N. (2010). The Succession Process and Leadership In Lebanon Family Businesses. Franklin Business & Law Journal, (3).

Bird, D.K., 2009. The use of questionnaires for acquiring information on public perception of natural hazards and risk mitigation–a review of current knowledge and practice. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 9(4), pp.1307-1325.

Braun, V., Clarke, V., Hayfield, N. and Terry, G., 2019. Thematic analysis. Handbook of Research Methods in Health Social Sciences, pp.843-860.

Caldwell, C., Hayes, L.A., Bernal, P. and Karri, R., 2008. Ethical stewardship–implications for leadership and trust. Journal of business ethics, 78(1-2), pp.153-164.

Craig, J.B., Dibrell, C. and Davis, P.S., 2008. Leveraging family‐based brand identity to enhance firm competitiveness and performance in family businesses. Journal of Small Business Management, 46(3), pp.351-371.

Crosby, B. C., & Bryson, J. M. (2005). A leadership framework for cross-sector collaboration. Public Management Review, 7(2), 177-201.

Dwyer, R.J., 2009. Prepare for the impact of the multi-generational workforce!. Transforming Government: People, process and policy, 3(2), pp.101-110.

Frankenberger, K., Weiblen, T., Csik, M. and Gassmann, O., 2013. The 4I-framework of business model innovation: A structured view on process phases and challenges. International Journal of Product Development, 18(3/4), pp.249-273.

Greenfield, B., Bridges, P., Phillips, T., Adams, E., Bullock, D., Davis, K., Nelson, C. and Wood, B., 2015. Reflective narratives by physical therapist students on their early clinical experiences: A deductive and inductive approach. Journal of Physical Therapy Education, 29(2), pp.21-31.

Healy, J. J. (2014). Craving Success: Introduction to Critical Success Factors in the Restaurant Industry and an Overview of two Successful Restaurateurs.

Hua, N. and Templeton, A., 2010. Forces driving the growth of the restaurant industry in the USA. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 22(1), pp.56-68.

Johnston, M.P., 2017. Secondary data analysis: A method of which the time has come. Qualitative and quantitative methods in libraries, 3(3), pp.619-626.

Kim, Y., 2011. The pilot study in qualitative inquiry: Identifying issues and learning lessons for culturally competent research. Qualitative Social Work, 10(2), pp.190-206.

Kumar, R. (2019). Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners. Sage Publications Limited.

Lawton, A., & Páez, I. (2015). Developing a framework for ethical leadership. Journal of Business Ethics, 130(3), 639-649.

Levitt, H.M., Motulsky, S.L., Wertz, F.J., Morrow, S.L. and Ponterotto, J.G., 2017. Recommendations for designing and reviewing qualitative research in psychology: Promoting methodological integrity. Qualitative Psychology, 4(1), p.2.

Lutz A., S., Smith, J.E. and Da Silva, N., 2013. Leadership style in relation to organizational change and organizational creativity: Perceptions from nonprofit organizational members. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 24(1), pp.23-42.

Mussolino, D. and Calabrò, A., 2014. Paternalistic leadership in family firms: Types and implications for intergenerational succession. Journal of Family Business Strategy, 5(2), pp.197-210.

Palanski, M. E., & Yammarino, F. J. (2009). Integrity and leadership: A multi-level conceptual framework. The Leadership Quarterly, 20(3), 405-420.

Pieterse, A. N., Van Knippenberg, D., Schippers, M., & Stam, D. (2010). Transformational and transactional leadership and innovative behavior: The moderating role of psychological empowerment. Journal of organizational behavior, 31(4), 609-623.

Poutziouris, P., Smyrnios, K. and Klein, S. eds., 2008. Handbook of research on family business. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Quinn, L. and Dalton, M., 2009. Leading for sustainability: implementing the tasks of leadership. Corporate Governance: The international journal of business in society, 9(1), pp.21-38.

Rowley, J., 2014. Designing and using research questionnaires. Management Research Review, 37(3), pp.308-330.

Schmidgall, R. S., Hayes, D. K., & Ninemeier, J. D. (2002). Restaurant financial basics. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Scotland, J., 2012. Exploring the Philosophical Underpinnings of Research: Relating Ontology and Epistemology to the Methodology and Methods of the Scientific, Interpretive, and Critical Research Paradigms. English language teaching, 5(9), pp.9-16.

Seaman, C., Bent, R. and Silva, M., 2019. Family values: Influencers in the development of financial and non-financial dynamics in family firms. In The Palgrave handbook of heterogeneity among family firms (pp. 507-530). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.

Shepherd, D. and Haynie, J.M., 2009. Family business, identity conflict, and an expedited entrepreneurial process: A process of resolving identity conflict. Entrepreneurship theory and practice, 33(6), pp.1245-1264.

Singh, S.K., 2008. Role of leadership in knowledge management: a study. Journal of knowledge management, 12(4), pp.3-15.

Till, R. and Petrany, C., 2013. Stewardship Theory, Servant Leadership and Clare of Assisi: Shifting Paradigmens in Business Management. AFCU Journal: A Franciscan Perspective on Higher Education, 10, pp.43-54.

Tribble, L. L., Gardner, W. L., & Brigham, K. (2017). Family Business and Authentic Leadership: A Cross-level Model. In Academy of Management Proceedings (Vol. 2017, No. 1, p. 12210). Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510: Academy of Management.

Vaismoradi, M., Jones, J., Turunen, H. and Snelgrove, S., 2016. Theme development in qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis.

Ward, J. (2016). Keeping the family business healthy: How to plan for continuing growth, profitability, and family leadership. Springer.

Williams, K.C., Page, R.A., Petrosky, A.R. and Hernandez, E.H., 2010. Multi-generational marketing: Descriptions, characteristics, lifestyles, and attitudes. The Journal of Applied Business and Economics, 11(2), p.21.

Woodfield, P. and Husted, K., 2017. Intergenerational knowledge sharing in family firms: Case-based evidence from the New Zealand wine industry. Journal of Family Business Strategy, 8(1), pp.57-69.

Zalaghi, H. and Khazaei, M., 2016. The role of deductive and inductive reasoning in accounting research and standard setting. Asian Journal of Finance & Accounting, 8(1), pp.23-37.