Keeping it in the family: family, priorities and succession in Scottish landed estates

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the strategic approach adopted by the current owners of family-held estates in Scotland to explore the approaches that have led to multigenerational ownership. Design/methodology/approach A social constructionist epistemology was adopted to consider the manner in which owners of large landed estates perceived the strategic approach adopted by the family and the implementation of that strategy. A purposive sample based on the most senior member of the family currently involved in the ownership of five family estates, was developed, drawing heavily on personal contacts and a pre-existing level of trust between the researcher and the families involved. Findings All respondents had inherited their primary estate. Some had inherited or developed parallel businesses, or indeed both. All see it as their “duty” to pass the estate on and to act as trustees for the next generation. One of the key recurring themes was that despite the legal structures, all respondents had a strong standpoint that they did not really “own” the primary estate or many of the businesses, but rather felt that they were trustees or stewards for the next generation. This culture of obligation to the next generation defines this group of families and steers their actions with regards to the business and their family relationships. Research limitations/implications The limitations to this study lie primarily in the small sample size. Further research would enable a wider sample group to be developed and possibly explain the success in retaining the business within the family. Longitudinal research could also be undertaken to see if the family’s culture changes over time and the impact that this has on the family’s survival rates and in this context the impact that the businesses have on their local economy would merit further exploration. Originality/value The originality lies in the sample group, about whom limited research is available. The research presented here draws heavily on personal contacts and a pre-existing level of trust between the researcher and the families involved.