IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nms/mamere/10.5771-0935-9915-2020-3-281.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Felt Truth: Value Congruence in Family Firms

Author

Listed:
  • Pötschke, Ivonne

Abstract

Family firms are known for having a strong culture and shared values, which arise from the ways in which family traditions and dynamics influence the business. Value congruence is known for having positive effects on employees’ affective commitment, which is strongly connected to organisational performance. Thus, one can assume that a strong family influence on a business entails strong congruency between employees’ and firms’ values. To explore this topic in more depth, the present paper employs theoretical strands from family business research and person-organisation-fit theory. To examine the relationship between family influence, value congruence and their effect on affective commitment, this study conducted an online survey among 15 family firms that were categorized according to their family influence. The paper compared firms with weak and strong family influence in terms of employees’ value congruence and their affective commitment, as well as considered potential influencing factors such as leadership, management stewardship, and tenure. Different methods were used to analyse the data. The findings indicate that family firms with a strong family influence have higher levels of perceived value congruence and affective commitment among employees.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
  • Handle: RePEc:nms:mamere:10.5771/0935-9915-2020-3-281
    DOI: 10.5771/0935-9915-2020-3-281
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nomos-elibrary.de/10.5771/0935-9915-2020-3-281
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.5771/0935-9915-2020-3-281?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. George G. Gordon & Nancy DiTomaso, 1992. "Predicting Corporate Performance From Organizational Culture," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(6), pages 783-798, November.
    2. Kimberly A. Eddleston & Franz W. Kellermanns & Thomas M. Zellweger, 2012. "Exploring the Entrepreneurial Behavior of Family Firms: Does the Stewardship Perspective Explain Differences?," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 36(2), pages 347-367, March.
    3. 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.
    4. Jennifer Sequeira & Stephen L. Mueller & Jeffrey E. Mcgee, 2007. "The Influence Of Social Ties And Self-Efficacy In Forming Entrepreneurial Intentions And Motivating Nascent Behavior," Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship (JDE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 12(03), pages 275-293.
    5. James H. Davis & Mathew R. Allen & H. David Hayes, 2010. "Is Blood Thicker Than Water? A Study of Stewardship Perceptions in Family Business," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 34(6), pages 1093-1116, November.
    6. David G. Sirmon & Michael A. Hitt, 2003. "Managing Resources: Linking Unique Resources, Management, and Wealth Creation in Family Firms," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 27(4), pages 339-358, October.
    7. Jean‐Luc Arregle & Michael A. Hitt & David G. Sirmon & Philippe Very, 2007. "The Development of Organizational Social Capital: Attributes of Family Firms," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(1), pages 73-95, January.
    8. Shaker A. Zahra & James C. Hayton & Donald O. Neubaum & Clay Dibrell & Justin Craig, 2008. "Culture of Family Commitment and Strategic Flexibility: The Moderating Effect of Stewardship," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 32(6), pages 1035-1054, November.
    9. Eddleston, Kimberly A. & Kellermanns, Franz W., 2007. "Destructive and productive family relationships: A stewardship theory perspective," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 545-565, July.
    10. Jean-Luc Arrègle & Michael Hitt & David Sirmon & Philippe Véry, 2007. "The Development of Organizational Social Capital : Attributes of Family Firms," Post-Print hal-02312687, HAL.
    11. Mojca Duh & Jernej Belak & Borut Milfelner, 2010. "Core Values, Culture and Ethical Climate as Constitutional Elements of Ethical Behaviour: Exploring Differences Between Family and Non-Family Enterprises," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 97(3), pages 473-489, December.
    12. Manuel Carlos Vallejo-Martos, 2011. "The organizational culture of family firms as a key factor of competitiveness," Journal of Business Economics and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(3), pages 451-481, May.
    13. Habbershon, Timothy G. & Williams, Mary & MacMillan, Ian C., 2003. "A unified systems perspective of family firm performance," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 451-465, July.
    14. Kimberly A. Eddleston & James J. Chrisman & Lloyd P. Steier & Jess H. Chua, 2010. "Governance and Trust in Family Firms: An Introduction," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 34(6), pages 1043-1056, November.
    15. Vallejo-Martos, Manuel Carlos & Puentes-Poyatos, Raquel, 2014. "Family firms as incubators for ethical behavior: An exploratory study from the perspective of stewardship theory," Journal of Management & Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(6), pages 784-807, November.
    16. Chrisman, James J. & Chua, Jess H. & Kellermanns, Franz W. & Chang, Erick P.C., 2007. "Are family managers agents or stewards? An exploratory study in privately held family firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 60(10), pages 1030-1038, October.
    17. Fletcher, Denise & Melin, Leif & Gimeno, Alberto, 2012. "Culture and values in family business—A review and suggestions for future research," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 3(3), pages 127-131.
    18. Wagner, Dominik & Block, Joern H. & Miller, Danny & Schwens, Christian & Xi, Guoqian, 2015. "A meta-analysis of the financial performance of family firms: Another attempt," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 6(1), pages 3-13.
    19. Hannes Hauswald & Andreas Hack & Franz W. Kellermanns & Holger Patzelt, 2016. "Attracting New Talent to Family Firms: Who is Attracted and under what Conditions?," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 40(5), pages 963-989, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. 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.
    2. Azizi, Mohammad & Salmani Bidgoli, Masoud & Maley, Jane F. & Dabić, Marina, 2022. "A stewardship perspective in family firms: A new perspective for altruism and social capital," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 764-775.
    3. Mazzi, Chiara, 2011. "Family business and financial performance: Current state of knowledge and future research challenges," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 2(3), pages 166-181.
    4. Stanley, Laura J. & McDowell, William, 2014. "The role of interorganizational trust and organizational efficacy in family and nonfamily firms," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 5(3), pages 264-275.
    5. Wright, Mike & Kellermanns, Franz W., 2011. "Family firms: A research agenda and publication guide," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 2(4), pages 187-198.
    6. Alain Verbeke & Liena Kano, 2012. "The Transaction Cost Economics Theory of the Family Firm: Family–Based Human Asset Specificity and the Bifurcation Bias," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 36(6), pages 1183-1205, November.
    7. Drakopoulou Dodd, Sarah & Anderson, Alistair & Jack, Sarah, 2013. "Being in time and the family owned firm," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 35-47.
    8. Arz, Christopher, 2019. "Bridging the micro-macro gap: A multi-layer culture framework for understanding entrepreneurial orientation in family firms," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 10(3), pages 1-1.
    9. Kyuho Jin & Joowon Lee & Sung Min Hong, 2021. "The Dark Side of Managing for the Long Run: Examining When Family Firms Create Value," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-20, March.
    10. Roland Kidwell & Franz Kellermanns & Kimberly Eddleston, 2012. "Harmony, Justice, Confusion, and Conflict in Family Firms: Implications for Ethical Climate and the “Fredo Effect”," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 106(4), pages 503-517, April.
    11. Heino, Noora & Tuominen, Pasi & Jussila, Iiro, 2020. "Listed Family Firm Stakeholder Orientations: The Critical Role of Value-creating Family Factors," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 11(4).
    12. Rajan, Bharath & Salunkhe, Uday & Kumar, V., 2023. "Understanding customer engagement in family firms: A conceptual framework," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    13. Francesco Chirico & R. Duane Ireland & David G. Sirmon, 2011. "Franchising and the Family Firm: Creating Unique Sources of Advantage through “Familiness†," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 35(3), pages 483-501, May.
    14. Zellweger, Thomas M. & Eddleston, Kimberly A. & Kellermanns, Franz W., 2010. "Exploring the concept of familiness: Introducing family firm identity," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 54-63, March.
    15. Barros, Ismael & Hernangómez, Juan & Martin-Cruz, Natalia, 2016. "A theoretical model of strategic management of family firms. A dynamic capabilities approach," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 7(3), pages 149-159.
    16. Zellweger, Thomas M. & Kellermanns, Franz W. & Eddleston, Kimberly A. & Memili, Esra, 2012. "Building a family firm image: How family firms capitalize on their family ties," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 239-250.
    17. Francesco Chirico & Dianne H. B. Welsh & R. Duane Ireland & Philipp Sieger, 2021. "Family versus Non‐Family Firm Franchisors: Behavioural and Performance Differences," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(1), pages 165-200, January.
    18. Basco, Rodrigo, 2013. "The family's effect on family firm performance: A model testing the demographic and essence approaches," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 4(1), pages 42-66.
    19. Memili, Esra & Eddleston, Kimberly A. & Kellermanns, Franz W. & Zellweger, Thomas M. & Barnett, Tim, 2010. "The critical path to family firm success through entrepreneurial risk taking and image," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 1(4), pages 200-209, December.
    20. Kimberly A. Eddleston & Franz W. Kellermanns & Thomas M. Zellweger, 2012. "Exploring the Entrepreneurial Behavior of Family Firms: Does the Stewardship Perspective Explain Differences?," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 36(2), pages 347-367, March.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nms:mamere:10.5771/0935-9915-2020-3-281. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nomos.de/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.