Part A

Individual Assignment $(75$ Marks$)$

Write an essay of approximately $2500$ words referring to the three different texts

provided.

Essay Title: Some people think that there should be more restrictions on running a business with all members of the same family, e$.$g$.$ mother$/$father$/$children$.$ Do you agree with this statement?

Consider both views, giving your opinion.

Remember:

$$ You must refer to the x$3$ texts that are provided to support your ideas

$$ Use your own words and DO NOT copy from the texts

$$ Use direct and indirect quotations from the different texts

$$ You may use additional sources$/$texts of good quality that you can find on the internet

$$ Acknowledge all of the sources in your essay by including in$-$text references

$$ Include a $$List of References$$ of the sources you used at the end of your essay

$$ Include an introduction and a conclusion and break down the main body into paragraphs with topic sentences. use the below Individual Assignment Texts

Text $1$ Keeping it in the Family

Nepotism is defined as the practice of appointing relatives and friends in one's organization to positions for which outsiders might be better qualified.

Is nepotism a good or a bad thing? Adam Bellow, in Praise of Nepotism, believes that we are hard$-$wired to look after our family and friends. He believes that nepotism has produced both positive and negative results in everything from ancient Chinese clans to Renaissance papal lineages and American families like the Gores, Kennedys, and Bushes. Practised badly or haphazardly, nepotism is embarrassing to everyone, including the recipient, but done well it can benefit society as a whole.

In business, no one seems sure how to talk about nepotism or discuss it openly. But what do you do if you find yourself managing the boss$$s son? Do you treat them in the same way as everyone else and risk alienating them or annoying your boss? Or do you handle them with kid gloves just in case?

Nepotism conflicts so fundamentally with basic American values of egalitarianism and merit that some companies have instituted formal anti$-$nepotism codes. But even in companies that claim not to tolerate nepotism, there are often clear, if not flagrant examples. Take Paul Wolfowitz, whose attempts to secure a pay and promotion deal for his partner, Shaha Reza, meant he lost his job at the World Bank.

It$$s interesting to see the cultural bias at work here, too. Nepotism is considered a good thing in Asian and African companies, which are traditionally based on family networks. In the UK$,$ firms in London have traditionally recruited from families within Britain$$s social elite. On a recent BBC radio programme on nepotism, Dr Gillian Evans of Manchester University explained that social and family networks provide a critical safety net for upper middle$-$class children who might have failed their exams or fluffed their first job. A well$-$placed contact could smooth over their failure, find them a job, and restore them to their $$rightful$$ place in society.

This can be very frustrating for those of us who don$$t have the luxury of a security net, who have to struggle through with grit and hard work. But is there anything we can do beyond becoming consumed with envy? Is there anything we can learn? I suppose the most positive thing is to start developing a personal network that works for you. There are three things to remember. First, make yourself known to those in power $$ who you are and what you can do $$ so that if the big job comes up$,$ your name will be on their minds. Second, build a strong connection with your influential contacts, making sure they like and care for you.

Finally, make sure that, if you get the job, you have the skills to make a success of it$.$ You will have far less margin for error than the boss$$s son.

What do you feel about nepotism at work? Have you experienced it in a positive or negative way? Or are you experiencing difficulty because you were the one who got a job through someone you knew?

Daniel Priest, $$Keeping it in the family$,$ London, Sage Publishing, $2020.$

$2$

Text $2$ The Advantages of Running a Family Business Greater Incentive to Work Hard

One of the possible benefits of running a family business is that family members may work

harder than they would if they were working somewhere else. In other words, it could help you ensure the success of your business. This is because they have a vested interest in the success of that business.

Tax Advantages

If your family business includes your under$-$aged children, there can be some tax advantages to hiring them in the business. But you will want to be careful to make sure they are not being paid for work not done. Good documentation is critical.

Furthermore, if you know you will be passing the business on to your children in the event of your death, there are additional effects to consider. You would be wise to consult a lawyer ahead of time to ensure everything is handled properly from the b