The humanistic state in family firms: Exploring the significance of socioemotional wealth and culture as drivers of stewardship

IF 10.5 1区管理学 Q1 BUSINESS

Journal of Business Research Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI:10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115212

Carl Åberg , Charlotte Haugland Sundkvist , Giovanna Campopiano

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Abstract

This study investigates the interplay between stewardship and socioemotional wealth (SEW) in family firms. We examined how family control and influence, and family members’ identification, as key SEW dimensions impacted family-firm stewardship. We further investigated these relationships, hypothesizing that they are contingent on power distance and uncertainty avoidance as relevant cultural dimensions. Hypotheses were tested using a survey dataset of 2,439 family firms across 70 countries. The results reveal that family control and influence, and family members’ identification, respectively reflecting the legal and psychological ownership of the business family aiming to protect its SEW, are positively associated with stewardship family-oriented goals. We also found that the positive impact of business family psychological ownership on stewardship family-oriented goals became weaker in cultures characterized by high power distance. For those embedded in high uncertainty avoidance cultures, the positive impact of business family legal ownership on stewardship family-oriented goals is stronger.

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来源期刊

Journal of Business Research BUSINESS-

CiteScore

20.30

自引率

10.60%

发文量

956

期刊介绍： The Journal of Business Research aims to publish research that is rigorous, relevant, and potentially impactful. It examines a wide variety of business decision contexts, processes, and activities, developing insights that are meaningful for theory, practice, and/or society at large. The research is intended to generate meaningful debates in academia and practice, that are thought provoking and have the potential to make a difference to conceptual thinking and/or practice. The Journal is published for a broad range of stakeholders, including scholars, researchers, executives, and policy makers. It aids the application of its research to practical situations and theoretical findings to the reality of the business world as well as to society. The Journal is abstracted and indexed in several databases, including Social Sciences Citation Index, ANBAR, Current Contents, Management Contents, Management Literature in Brief, PsycINFO, Information Service, RePEc, Academic Journal Guide, ABI/Inform, INSPEC, etc.