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Family Business Ethics: At the Crossroads of Business Ethics and Family Business

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  • Pedro Vazquez

    (Universidad Austral)

Abstract

In spite of the considerable development of research in the fields of business ethics and family business, a comprehensive review and integration of the area where both disciplines intersect has not been undertaken so far. This paper aims at contributing to the call for more research on family business ethics by answering the following research questions: What is the status of the current research at the intersection of business ethics and family business? Why and how do family firms differ from non-family firms regarding business ethics? And, what are the key directions for further research? To answer these questions, this study combines a systematic approach for the selection of articles, resulting in a sample of 31 articles over 35 years, with a narrative review to analyze the literature. This paper finds that research on family business ethics is scarce but increasing and that family firms are considerably different from non-family firms regarding ethical issues. Particular stakeholders, goals, relationships, and practices are found to be the forces behind the peculiarity of family business ethics. Ultimately, research development on family business ethics is encouraged and future research directions flowing from the key findings and reflections of this review are provided.

Suggested Citation

  • Pedro Vazquez, 2018. "Family Business Ethics: At the Crossroads of Business Ethics and Family Business," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(3), pages 691-709, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:150:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s10551-016-3171-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-016-3171-1
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    6. Silvana Signori & Yves Fassin, 2023. "Family Members’ Salience in Family Business: An Identity-Based Stakeholder Approach," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 183(1), pages 191-211, February.
    7. Boris Rumanko & Jana Kozáková & Mária Urbánová & Monika Hudáková, 2021. "Family Business as a Bearer of Social Sustainability in Multinationals-Case of Slovakia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-25, July.
    8. Leonidou, Leonidas C. & Eteokleous, Pantelitsa P. & Christodoulides, Paul & Strømfeldt Eduardsen, Jonas, 2023. "A dynamic capabilities perspective to socially responsible family business: Implications on social-based advantage and market performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PA).
    9. Rongjia Su & Dianjie Liang & Weili Teng, 2023. "The impact of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism on CSR practices in family businesses in China," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(4), pages 1394-1417, September.
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    15. Cheng, Chen & Li, Siming & Liu, Shali & Zhang, Suge, 2022. "Origin matters: The institution imprint effect and green innovation in family businesses," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
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    19. Basco, Rodrigo & Suwala, Lech, 2020. "Spatial familiness: a bridge between family business and economic geography," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, pages 185-212.
    20. Randerson, Kathleen, 2022. "Conceptualizing family business social responsibility," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    21. Melanie Richards, 2023. "When do Non-financial Goals Benefit Stakeholders? Theorizing on Care and Power in Family Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 184(2), pages 333-351, May.
    22. Ritch L. Sorenson & Jackie M. Milbrandt, 2023. "Family Social Capital in Family Business: A Faith-Based Values Theory," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 184(3), pages 701-724, May.
    23. Mª de la Cruz Déniz-Déniz & Mª Katiuska Cabrera-Suárez & Josefa D. Martín-Santana, 2020. "Orientation Toward Key Non-family Stakeholders and Economic Performance in Family Firms: The Role of Family Identification with the Firm," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 163(2), pages 329-345, May.

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