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Articulating Values Through Identity Work: Advancing Family Business Ethics Research

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  • Marleen Dieleman

    (NUS Business School)

  • Juliette Koning

    (Oxford Brookes University)

Abstract

Family values are argued to enable ethical family business conduct. However, how these arise, evolve, and how family leaders articulate them is less understood. Using an ‘identity work’ approach, this paper finds that the values underpinning identity work: (1) arise from multiple sources (in our case: religion, culture and sustainability), (2) evolve in tandem with the context; and, (3) that their articulation is relational and aspirational, rather than merely historical. Prior research mostly understood family values as rooted in the past and relatively stable, but our rhetorical analysis unlocks a more dynamic and promising research direction advancing family business ethics.

Suggested Citation

  • Marleen Dieleman & Juliette Koning, 2020. "Articulating Values Through Identity Work: Advancing Family Business Ethics Research," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 163(4), pages 675-687, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:163:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s10551-019-04380-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-019-04380-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Brinkerink, Jasper & Rondi, Emanuela & Benedetti, Carlotta & Arzubiaga, Unai, 2020. "Family business or business family? Organizational identity elasticity and strategic responses to disruptive innovation," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 11(4).
    4. Sam Hampton & Richard Blundel & Aqueel Wahga & Tina Fawcett & Christopher Shaw, 2022. "Transforming small and medium‐sized enterprises to address the climate emergency: The case for values‐based engagement," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 1424-1439, September.
    5. Bąkiewicz Anna & Kasuma Jati & Hermawan Asep, 2022. "Family Business and Religion – Research Agenda," Journal of Intercultural Management, Sciendo, vol. 14(2), pages 4-40, December.
    6. Valeria Giacomin & Geoffrey Jones, 2022. "Drivers of Philanthropic Foundations in Emerging Markets: Family, Values and Spirituality," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(1), pages 263-282, September.
    7. Roy Suddaby & Trevor Israelsen & Francois Bastien & Rohny Saylors & Diego Coraiola, 2023. "Rhetorical History as Institutional Work," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(1), pages 242-278, January.
    8. Carla Curado & António Mota, 2021. "A Systematic Literature Review on Sustainability in Family Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-17, March.
    9. Joseph H. Astrachan & Claudia Binz Astrachan & Giovanna Campopiano & Massimo Baù, 2020. "Values, Spirituality and Religion: Family Business and the Roots of Sustainable Ethical Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 163(4), pages 637-645, May.
    10. Fernando Doral-Fábregas, 2024. "Diagnóstico del futuro de la empresa familiar a partir del estudio de los fundadores de empresas familiares y el análisis de la evolución de las estructuras familiares y el tejido empresarial en Españ," Revista Ciencias Administrativas (CADM), IIA, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Instituto de Investigaciones Administrativas, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, issue 24, pages 1-14, July- Dec.
    11. Michael Carney & Marleen Dieleman, 2024. "See who I know! Addressing the liabilities of outsidership through status signaling," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 55(3), pages 377-395, April.
    12. 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.
    13. Rebecca Alguera Kleine & Bingbing Ge & Alfredo Massis, 2024. "Look in to look out: strategy and family business identity during COVID-19," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 63(3), pages 993-1018, October.

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