Stepping into my shoes: Generativity as a mediator of the relationship between business owners' age and family succession

The authors investigated generativity – the concern in establishing and guiding the next generation – as a mediator of the relationship between family business owners' age and succession in family businesses. Data came from 155 family business owners in Germany from different industries between the ages of 26 and 83 years. Results showed that age was positively related to generativity, and that generativity, in turn, positively influenced an objective measure of family succession. Generativity fully mediated the positive relationship between age and family succession. The findings suggest that generativity is an important psycho-social construct for understanding ageing, careers and succession in family business settings.

Mosse family photo collage for the wedding of Hans and Licie Mosse; family shown in blimp floating over Grosse Berliner Strasse; Berlin Portraits; Family

Verso: Die Anfahrt der Gaeste zur Hochzeitsfeier von Hans u. Licie am 10. Oktober 1909

Bernhard, Rebecca and Miki Bardach Portraits Family

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Miki Bardach outside Bardach family villa; Russia Portraits Children

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Unidentified woman holding two children on park bench Portraits; Family

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heilbrunn, karl; heilbrunn friedrich (fritz); heilbrunn julius; osterode harz Portraits Family

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heilbrunn-goldschmict family collection; mother or grandmother of johanna heilbrunn Portraits Women

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left to right:johanna heilbrunnl marcus heilbrunn, karl heilbrunn; osterade / harz Portraits Family

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heilbrunn, karl; heibunn julius; heibrunn fritz Portraits Family

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heilbrunn, karl; heilbrunn , fritz; cousin max Portraits Family

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heilbrunn fritz; heilbrunn julius; unidentified friend; obertal i. harz Portraits Family

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heilbrunn, karl; lieutenant; auant hede ( sister of johanna ); uncke icken; wife of icken ?; heilbrunn, johanna { motherof fritz, julius and karl heilbrunn Portraits Family

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heilbrunn-goldschmidt family collection' ;4 unidentified men; 6 unidentified women; fashion show; osterode Portraits Groups

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goldschmidt, anna; goldschmidt fritz Portraits Family

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goldschmidt anna; goldschmidt fritz; stolzenau Portraits Family

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