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The couple business as a unique form of business: a review of the empirical evidence

Author

Listed:
  • Aliaa El Shoubaki

    (Prague University of Economics and Business)

  • Jörn Block

    (Trier University)

  • Frank Lasch

    (Montpellier Business School)

Abstract

Businesses run by romantic couples—couple businesses—are an important social and economic phenomenon. These businesses are widespread and represent a distinct form of business; they can be large corporations or home-based businesses, they can make large or small revenues, and the couples running them can have high or low levels of education. Scholars from different disciplines have addressed couple businesses, which makes the literature base fragmented. In this review of 71 articles on couple businesses, we synthesize the research around three guiding questions: what is a couple business (descriptions), where does it come from (antecedents), and where does it lead (outcomes)? Providing a cohesive picture of empirical research on couple businesses adds clarity and richness to the research field and increases our understanding of the phenomenon. Avenues for further research are discussed in five thematic areas: conceptualizations of couple businesses, work-home boundaries, gendered power differentials, and antecedents and outcomes of couple businesses.

Suggested Citation

  • Aliaa El Shoubaki & Jörn Block & Frank Lasch, 2022. "The couple business as a unique form of business: a review of the empirical evidence," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 72(1), pages 115-147, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:manrev:v:72:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1007_s11301-020-00206-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s11301-020-00206-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Jucheol Choi & Daniel Kessler, 2023. "Influences of Start-Up’s Financial Intermingling on Entrepreneurial Stress in Sustainable Family Businesses: Mediation Effect of Work–Family Balance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-14, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Entrepreneurship; Couples; Life partners; Systematic review; Couple business; Family business;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • M10 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - General

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