Measuring family influence from the non-family employee perspective: The perceived family influence scale (PFIS)

Abstract

To further our understanding of family influence in family businesses, this study introduces the Perceived Family Influence Scale (PFIS). Departing from existing owner-centric methodologies, the PFIS uses social constructivism theory to capture family influence from the perspective of non-family employees, a frequently neglected but integral stakeholder group within the family firm ecosystem. Following a rigorous multistep development process involving 600 non-family employees, we validate the PFIS and identify three core sub-dimensions of perceived family influence: culture, organizational decision-making, and image. We also demonstrate the practical applicability of the PFIS by examining the link between perceived family influence and non-family employee job satisfaction. Grounded in social constructivism, the PFIS is a reliable instrument that allows for the collection of more unbiased and holistic data on family influence, thereby refining our understanding of family firms and advancing the family business research field.