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A safe haven in times of crisis: The appeal of family companies as employers amid the COVID-19 pandemic

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  • Jaufenthaler, Philipp

Abstract

Family firms often struggle to recruit skilled non-family employees. Applying a mixed-method strategy, this article investigates the changing perception of family firms as attractive employers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Experimental results indicate that family firms benefit from a greater popularity amid crises owing to perceptions that they offer greater job security and compensation. Qualitative findings expand on these results by identifying new attractiveness-relevant factors that only come into play amid crises—specifically, multifaceted conceptions of family firms’ crisis responses and their importance for local communities and economies contribute to their situational appeal.

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  • Jaufenthaler, Philipp, 2023. "A safe haven in times of crisis: The appeal of family companies as employers amid the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 14(1).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:fambus:v:14:y:2023:i:1:s1877858522000444
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jfbs.2022.100520
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