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Congruence in Exchange: The Influence of Supervisors on Employee Performance in Family Firms

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  • Benjamin D. McLarty
  • James M. Vardaman
  • Tim Barnett

Abstract

A pluralistic focus on economic and noneconomic goals creates dissonance for family firm employees. Drawing on social exchange theory, this study explores the idea that congruence between supervisor familial status and importance placed on socioemotional wealth aids in resolving this dissonance and allows committed employees to translate their efforts into better performance. The three-way interaction results show that committed employees working for congruent supervisors experienced higher task and citizenship performance. Supervisor incongruence resulted in the opposite effect. These findings suggest supervisor genuineness is vital to employee performance because of the dissonance associated with the pluralistic goal orientation in family firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Benjamin D. McLarty & James M. Vardaman & Tim Barnett, 2019. "Congruence in Exchange: The Influence of Supervisors on Employee Performance in Family Firms," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 43(2), pages 302-321, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:entthe:v:43:y:2019:i:2:p:302-321
    DOI: 10.1177/1042258718796079
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. McLarty, Benjamin D. & Muldoon, Jeffrey & Quade, Matthew & King, Robert A., 2021. "Your boss is the problem and solution: How supervisor-induced hindrance stressors and LMX influence employee job neglect and subsequent performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 308-317.
    2. Thomas M. Zellweger & James J. Chrisman & Jess H. Chua & Lloyd P. Steier, 2019. "Social Structures, Social Relationships, and Family Firms," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 43(2), pages 207-223, March.
    3. Querbach, Stephanie & Waldkirch, Matthias & Kammerlander, Nadine, 2022. "Benefitting from benefits—A comparison of employee satisfaction in family and non-family firms," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 13(2).
    4. Meier, Olivier & Schier, Guillaume, 2022. "Lone founders, family founders, and corporate social responsibility," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 149-160.
    5. 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.
    6. Pramodita Sharma & James J. Chrisman & Jess H. Chua & Lloyd P. Steier, 2020. "Family Firm Behavior From a Psychological Perspective," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 44(1), pages 3-19, January.
    7. Giovanna Campopiano & Emanuela Rondi, 2019. "Hierarchical Dyadic Congruence in Family Firms: The Interplay of Supervisor and Supervisee Socioemotional Wealth Importance and Familial Status," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 43(2), pages 322-329, March.
    8. Jan-Philipp Ahrens & Andrea Calabrò & Jolien Huybrechts & Michael Woywode, 2019. "The Enigma of the Family Successor–Firm Performance Relationship: A Methodological Reflection and Reconciliation Attempt," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 43(3), pages 437-474, May.

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