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Organisational Harmony as a Value in Family Businesses and Its Influence on Performance

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  • M. Ruiz Jiménez
  • Manuel Vallejo Martos
  • Rocío Martínez Jiménez

Abstract

The aims of this research were twofold: first, to compare the levels of organisational harmony between family and non-family firms and, second, to study the influence of organisational harmony on family firms’ performance (profitability, longevity and group cohesion). Starting from a definition of organisational harmony as a value and considering the importance of the management of organisational values, we use the main topics indicated by the general literature (organisational climate, trust and participation) to analyse organisational harmony, as well as three other topics for performance (profitability, survival and group cohesion). Results indicate that family firms have higher levels of these three qualities than non-family firms, and that the levels of trust, participation and organisational climate have a positive and significant influence on the performance of family firms. These results can be understood as a consequence of the influence of family social capital on organisational social capital and so on the performance of family businesses. From the perspective of institutionalism, the higher levels of harmony existing in family businesses are a reflection of the pressures that the owning family as an institution exercises on the organisational social capital in its companies. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

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  • M. Ruiz Jiménez & Manuel Vallejo Martos & Rocío Martínez Jiménez, 2015. "Organisational Harmony as a Value in Family Businesses and Its Influence on Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 126(2), pages 259-272, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:126:y:2015:i:2:p:259-272
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-013-1941-6
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    2. Bell, Catherine, 2019. "People of Future Agriculture; Trust and Succession in Family Businesses," International Journal of Agricultural Management, Institute of Agricultural Management, vol. 8(3), August.
    3. Deferne, Marie & Bertschi-Michel, Alexandra & de Groote, Julia, 2023. "The role of trust in family business stakeholder relationships: A systematic literature review," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 14(1).
    4. Debellis, Francesco & De Massis, Alfredo & Messeni Petruzzelli, Antonio & Frattini, Federico & Del Giudice, Manlio, 2021. "Strategic agility and international joint ventures: The willingness-ability paradox of family firms," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(1).
    5. Pötschke, Ivonne, 2020. "A Felt Truth: Value Congruence in Family Firms," management revue - Socio-Economic Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 31(3), pages 281-308.
    6. Jonsen, Karsten & Galunic, Charles & Weeks, John & Braga, Tania, 2015. "Evaluating espoused values: Does articulating values pay off?," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 33(5), pages 332-340.
    7. Cristina Bettinelli & Marco Mismetti & Alfredo De Massis & Barbara Del Bosco, 2022. "A Review of Conflict and Cohesion in Social Relationships in Family Firms," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 46(3), pages 539-577, May.
    8. Pötschke, Ivonne, 2019. "The Ties That Bind: Exploring relationship-oriented values in family firms from employees' perspective," Working Papers 3, Helmut Schmidt University, Research Cluster OPAL.

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