Pilot Interview

Questions:

·         Do you run a family business?

Sharon: Yes.  We run a local dance school in the county of Northamptonshire.  I co-own the school with my daughter Hayley.

·         What are the positives that you gain from running a family business?

Hayley: I think one big positive from running a family business is that there is a great support system when times are challenging. 

Sharon: We can always be truthful with one another and this honesty is key for communicating what is happening with the business in so many different areas of the dance school.  We both have the same passion and commitment to the school and this is one of the driving forces that have enabled the school to grow and achieve results.

Hayley: I have been attending dance classes before I could walk.  My mum would bring me along whilst she was teaching.  I love dancing and have been fortunate enough to work with my mum, who I respect and trust co-owning a dance school which is both of our passions.  That for me is a huge positive.

·         How long have you run your business for?

Sharon: The dance school started off with very few people attending, it took time for our reputation to build to the standard it is now.  We are very fortunate to have been in business for 30 years with a view to continuing for the foreseeable future.

·         How has your mother/daughter relationship been effected by running a business together?

Hayley: I think I was naive when we ventured into business together.  I was so caught up in the whole dance side of the school I didn’t question that a strain would be put on my relationship with my mum. 

Sharon: I think I was probably more aware of the fact that our relationship would be tested. I knew I would be communicating to Hayley in a whole new way...our conversations were turning into nothing but business talk.  I was depending on Hayley and looking at her work and how it could combine with mine in a way that was purely business minded.  We over time ended up colleagues at work and then mother and daughter when we were having a family meal.  This balance was really hard to achieve and we still struggle from time to time.

Hayley: I think that if I look back at how our relationship has changed it’s got stronger if anything.  We are whole heartedly focused on the dance school and talk about it all the time practically, but I don’t look at that as a negative because I love the dance school and like Sharon said when we are having a family meal for example we do make a conscious effort to avoid the school being the main topic of discussion.

Task 6a

These are the questions I asked when holding my pilot interview with a family run local dance school:

·         Do you run a family business?

·         What are the positives that you gain from running a family business?

·         How long have you run your business for?

·         How has your mother/daughter relationship been effected by running a business together?

Task 5c

I have further researched ethics and have discovered there are a variety of ethics that can be identified in the following:

·         Meta-ethics: this is about the theoretical meaning and reference of moral propositions and how their truth values (if any) may be determined. This meta-ethics was introduced with G.E. Moore’s recognized work Principia Ethica (1903).

·         Normative ethics: about the practical means of determining a moral course of action.  This is also known as moral theory. In the 20^th century moral theories became more complex. In 1971 John Rawls published A Theory of Justice, this book kept normative ethics  on trend.

·         Applied ethics: about how moral outcomes can be achieved in specific situations. This type of ethics tries to tie theory to real life situations, such as public service ethics.

Task 5b

In my previous blog my professional community/practice/regulations were formed through my experience of learning from the professional teachers when I was training.

To find out the actual codes of conduct I sourced the information from both the ISTD (Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing), and RAD (Royal Academy of Dance) I have been involved in both of these teaching faculties from a young age.

This website contains the code of conduct for ISTD:

http://www.istd.org/documents/code-of-professional-conduct-and-practice-for-teachers-of-dance/

This website contains the code of conduct for RAD:

http://www.rad.org.uk/files/ART255_Code%20of%20Conduct%20English.pdf

I think that the above codes of conduct and professional practice are guidelines that are very effective to run a dance school by.  Both the ISTD and RAD are trusted and well respected dance branches. 

Task 5a

I believe that ethics are the framework that bonds moral principles to optimise the working performance of yourself and your colleagues.  I think that it is essential to produce a good working atmosphere and by setting out a clear practice/regulation the workplace becomes more stable and productive.

·         Knowledge/Proficiency

·         Professionalism

·         Health and Safety

·         Appearance

·         Do not discriminate: gender/capability/race/religion...

·         CRB check

·         Communication is key to run an organisation-Organisational ethics/personal ethics

·         Punctuality

Task 4d

SGI...

I have joined the IFB blog, the web address is:
http://ifb-blog.blogspot.co.uk/
The IFB linked in web address is:
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=4166520&trk=hb_side_g

The IFB is the Institue for Family Business