Home or Away: A Narrative Analysis of the Family Functioning of Hotel Executives Working Outside Their Hometowns

The trend of hotel executives working outside their hometowns, which often results in periodic family separation, is on the rise. However, few studies have addressed family dynamics among this burgeoning middle class in China. Following a constructivist paradigm, this research presents a narrative analysis of nine families of hotel executives who work outside their hometowns. Results reveal that, under the mobility framework, these executives’ family systems are rooted in traditional Chinese culture and hotels’ corporate culture. The social environment causes family functioning to be reconstructed around children’s development. Family relationships trigger emotional responses from parents and children, shape the trajectory of family life, and revise family functions. These patterns ultimately change behavioral regulation and value norms across generations. The effects between different subsystems also discussed. These findings are theoretically and practically significant. Moreover, the study offers an opportunity to reconsider gender equality, conventional Chinese masculinity, and fatherhood.