1. ANT 101 Week 3 DQ2
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Doing Business with Family.
Nowak and Laird's Applying Anthropology 6.2 box, in Cultural Anthropology, proposes the
following question:
The familiar saying “never do business with family” advises against the practices used in many
of the chiefdom societies discussed in this chapter. This old saying implies that doing business
with family will create conflict, whereas chiefdom societies welcome and encourage such close-
knit economic exchanges as a way of preventing conflict. In fact, in an interesting article on
family businesses, Bertrand and Schoar comment on how cultures based on strong family ties
can have a negative impact on economic development. The reasoning is that the more we are
taught to count on our kinship and family ties, the less likely we are to trust those outside our
family networks, which greatly prohibits the development of larger economic institutions...
Consider both examples and create an argument for or against mixing business with family.
When responding to this question, be sure to engage in cross-cultural comparison, taking into
consideration variation in subsistence systems, descent systems, mobility, and any other factors
you consider pertinent. Draw examples from the ethnographic record, your own experience, and
the experience of others with whom you are familiar.
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