Ralph I. Williams Jr, Torsten Pieper, Franz Kellermanns and Joe Astrachan
Current approaches to measuring family business performance have limitations: failing to acknowledge the entire family business holistically, and lacking recognition of the…
Abstract
Purpose
Current approaches to measuring family business performance have limitations: failing to acknowledge the entire family business holistically, and lacking recognition of the idiosyncratic nature of family business goals. By applying organizational effectiveness and the achievement of desired organizational outcomes, the purpose of this paper is to develop a scale to measure performance based on a family business’ idiosyncratic goals.
Design/methodology/approach
This study applies mixed methods, including qualitative research, two surveys and structural equation modeling.
Findings
The authors develop a scale employing 21 items, representing six goal dimensions, to measure the family business performance.
Originality/value
The family business performance measurement scale from this study responds to multiple calls for a scale gauging family business performance in a manner including both financial and non-financial outcomes.
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Victoria Crittenden, Marko Sarstedt, Claudia Astrachan, Joe Hair and Carlos Eduardo Lourenco
Lorna Collins and Nicholas O’Regan
This editorial aims to provide an overview of the current state of research in the UK and proposes some future directions for research for family business scholars.
Abstract
Purpose
This editorial aims to provide an overview of the current state of research in the UK and proposes some future directions for research for family business scholars.
Design/methodology/approach
This article is an editorial with commentary about recent developments in understanding research gaps in the field of family business research.
Findings
The paper discusses the areas where future research in family business is required focusing on three levels: the organization; the individual; and the community.
Research implications
The paper suggests that there are many unanswered questions which merit further and future research.
Practical implications
The future of family business research is not in question. The paper posits that there are areas of study in family business which may particularly benefit from taking a cross‐disciplinary approach and suggests that family business researchers might consider exploring theory in the entrepreneurship, small business, sociology, economics and industrial relations areas to gain insights and support for theoretical development in family business.
Originality/value
This article highlights recent UK‐focused discussions regarding the future research directions and gaps in family business research. It suggests there are some emerging areas which require renewed focus particularly related to strategic decision making in family businesses from the organization, individual and social/community perspectives.
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Caroline Preslmayer, Michael Kuttner and Birgit Feldbauer-Durstmüller
Inspired by increasing public interest in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the intensified focus of research on family firms (FFs) over the past few decades, the purpose…
Abstract
Purpose
Inspired by increasing public interest in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the intensified focus of research on family firms (FFs) over the past few decades, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the existing literature on CSR in FF through a citation analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper overviews the structure of research on CSR in FF, identifying influential publications, authors, and key lines of discussion. The authors identified the underlying sample through a systematic, keyword-based literature search of seven databases. Starting with this sample, the authors analyzed a database of 4,342 references of 3,025 different sources cited in the 63 articles.
Findings
The findings show that the cited literature on CSR in FF is widespread, confirming that the research field has great heterogeneity. The authors identified the most-cited researcher as Luis R. Gómez-Mejía (University of Notre Dame, USA), with 93 citations. The average author in the group of the 22 most-cited authors (with a three-way tie for 20th-most-cited author) counts 45.45 citations in the sample of 13.95 different sources. Because the citations mostly refer to journal articles, the authors further investigated the particular journals of publication. The 20 most-influential journals cover 45.28 percent of all citations, with the Journal of Business Ethics being the most influential (6.38 percent of all citations). Within the 3,025 different sources cited in the whole sample, the publication by Dyer and Whetten (2006), which is titled “Family firms and social responsibility: preliminary evidence from the S&P 500,” is the most-cited (29 citations in 46.03 percent of the analyzed 63 peer-reviewed journal articles).
Originality/value
The authors conclude with a call for more research on CSR in FF (especially qualitative case studies). Moreover, as scholars of North America and Western Europe dominate the current landscape of research, the authors would like to encourage scholars from other countries and cultures to provide insights from their countries.
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Lorna Collins, Claire Seaman, Stuart Graham and Martin Stepek
This practitioner paper aims to question basic assumptions about management education and to argue that a new paradigm is needed for UK business schools which embraces an oft…
Abstract
Purpose
This practitioner paper aims to question basic assumptions about management education and to argue that a new paradigm is needed for UK business schools which embraces an oft neglected, yet economically vital, stakeholder group, namely family businesses. It seeks to pose the question of why we have forgotten to teach about family business management in the management portfolio.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper adopts a stakeholder approach, building on nominal stakeholder theory to justify a change to the teaching paradigm in business schools. It builds on discussions in the extant literature about failures of business schools to address modern needs.
Findings
The authors find that business schools in the UK need to begin to engage with family businesses through embracing the next generation from families in business. Policy needs to be developed that will support the next generation in a positive way by teaching about the family in business.
Originality/value
The paper aims to stimulate discussion about key stakeholders and prompt review of neglect of this key area of business study in the UK.
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Anneleen Michiels and Claudia Binz Astrachan
We develop a conceptual framework that combines the established concept of money scripts from financial psychology with the family-practice-fit framework. Through this…
Abstract
Purpose
We develop a conceptual framework that combines the established concept of money scripts from financial psychology with the family-practice-fit framework. Through this integration, we analyze how family identity, values and maturity levels interact with financial decision-making. We examine four key financial decisions and their alignment with family characteristics through the lens of different money scripts.
Design/methodology/approach
This conceptual paper explores how business families’ collective attitudes toward money and wealth (money scripts) influence their financial business decisions. We examine the relationship between money scripts and four key financial decisions: ROE expectations, profit growth targets, capital structure and dividend policies. By integrating money scripts with the family-practice-fit framework, we investigate how family characteristics shape financial decision-making in family businesses.
Findings
Our analysis reveals that family businesses’ financial decisions often reflect their collective money scripts rather than purely rational economic considerations. These shared attitudes toward money can lead to financial choices that prioritize family values over conventional business logic. The framework demonstrates how misalignment between money scripts, family characteristics and financial decisions can create tensions affecting both family unity and business performance.
Originality/value
This paper pioneers the application of money scripts to family business research, offering a novel framework for understanding seemingly irrational financial decisions. It contributes to family business theory by expanding the family-practice-fit framework and provides practical guidance for business families and advisors in making financial decisions that align with family values while supporting business objectives.
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Diya Yan, Xianbo Zhao, Pushpitha Kalutara and Zhou Jiang
Construction workers’ safety compliance is attracting considerable critical attention as it plays a decisive role in improving safety on construction sites. This study applied the…
Abstract
Purpose
Construction workers’ safety compliance is attracting considerable critical attention as it plays a decisive role in improving safety on construction sites. This study applied the concept of differentiating safety compliance into deep compliance (DC) and surface compliance (SC) and relied on trait activation theory to investigate the effects of situational awareness (SA) and emotional intelligence (EI) on safety compliance.
Design/methodology/approach
Cross-sectional survey data were collected from 239 construction workers in Australia, and these responses were statistically analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to validate the proposed model.
Findings
Results revealed that both EI and SA positively impacted DC and negatively impacted SC. Moreover, SA partially mediated the link between EI and two types of safety compliance (DC and SC). The outcomes showed that construction workers’ ability in regulating their emotions could influence their perception of environmental cues and the effectiveness of safety compliance behavior.
Originality/value
This study sheds light on investigating the antecedents of DC and SC from the perspective of trait activation theory. The findings also have practical implications, stating that construction site managers or safety professionals should consider providing training on construction workers’ EI and SA to enhance their willingness to expend conscious efforts in complying with safety rules and procedures, which can lead to improved safety outcomes.
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María José Ibáñez, Manuel Alonso Dos Santos and Orlando Llanos-Contreras
Communicating the identity of a family business generates positive results in consumer response. The paper aims to understanding how the efficient transmission of family identity…
Abstract
Purpose
Communicating the identity of a family business generates positive results in consumer response. The paper aims to understanding how the efficient transmission of family identity can influence consumer behavior is essential for designing family firms' marketing communication strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
An experimental study based on the eye-tracking technique was designed to determine how attention to (familiar vs non-familiar) visual stimuli on a website influences consumer recognition of a family firm status and how it influences consumer behavior. A sample of 212 individuals was exposed to (simulated) websites of family and non-family firms in the hospitality industry to capture information about their eye movements and measure visual attention to specific stimuli that communicated family identity.
Findings
Visual attention has a direct and positive influence on recognizing family firm's identity (FFI). Through FFI, visual attention has an indirect positive effect on trust in the company and attitude toward the brand (BraAtt). Trust in a firm positively affects purchase intention (PurInt).
Originality/value
It is known that consumers can perceive a FFI; however, there is no study on the sensory mechanisms operating in consumers' perceptions of family identity. The study contributes to understanding how consumers can perceive a FFI. This study proposes a novel method for evaluating consumer responses by transmitting family business identity on digital platforms.
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Hamza Smajić, Ramo Palalić and Nisar Ahmad
The study provides the emergence and evolution of the socioemotional wealth (SEW) concept in the family business field from 2007 (the inception date) until 2021. To provide a…
Abstract
Purpose
The study provides the emergence and evolution of the socioemotional wealth (SEW) concept in the family business field from 2007 (the inception date) until 2021. To provide a better overview of this notion, the study unfolds a deeper understanding of this term throughout the systematic literature review (SLR).
Design/methodology/approach
The study applies a systematic literature review (SLR) by analyzing the sample of 185SEW articles extracted from the Scopus database. To identify all relevant studies, the article selection process was carefully designed and divided into two phases with clear steps: identification of studies via databases and identification of studies via previous studies' reference lists. Selected studies were analyzed using the Bibliometrix R-tool, resulting in an analysis of the evolution of the trends in the SEW literature, citation analysis, and network analysis. Finally, this SLR included the content analysis of the 25 most-cited SEW articles.
Findings
The study provides a relevant and comprehensive overview facilitating empirical and theoretical research in this field and paving the way to develop new themes. The bottom line of the important findings is that the SEW concept is relatively new, alluding to a wealthy venue for future works. Other results and implications are discussed on the family business and SEW theme. Additionally, the study provides suggestions which could be used for future works in this area.
Originality/value
This is the first article related to the SEW concept in the family business. It portrays a clear picture of this field, providing relevant information on what has been done, as well as what the future possibilities are that might bode the future horizons in family businesses.
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Jose Andres Areiza-Padilla, Tatiana Galindo-Becerra, Iván Veas-González and Karla Barajas-Portas
This article examines some of the trends that allow to understand and analyze the evolution of the idea of entrepreneurship to become a family business.
Abstract
Purpose
This article examines some of the trends that allow to understand and analyze the evolution of the idea of entrepreneurship to become a family business.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is based on systematic research.
Findings
Around four current trends and four future trends are presented, which allow the authors to understand how the family of an entrepreneur influences in a direct and indirect way in their business, until even managing to transform that business into a family business through planning, organization, management and control exercised by several members of the family of the initial entrepreneur and his future generations in that company.
Originality/value
This research makes it possible to identify some challenges and opportunities that family businesses must face, which arise from an enterprise and which can help them to have business success, covering part of the past, present and future of such organizations. In this way, this article synthesizes how family dynamics and business dynamics are intertwined through the influence of the family on an entrepreneur’s business model.