Un’analisi del “family effect” attraverso la reputazione della famiglia imprenditoriale: asset o liability (An in-depth analysis of family effect through family business reputation: asset or liability?)

Authors

  • Gerardino Metallo
  • Carmen Gallucci

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7433/s91.2013.12

Keywords:

reputation, family business, familiness, entrepreneurial family, family branding

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the present study is to examine when the family effect can rise as asset, as a critical resource for the business or as liability, causing value destruction for the family business.

Methodology: Through the embedded multiple case study, the research answers to question: “Who are the families that are most likely to build and strengthen familiness?”. The response to this query emerges from the construct “family business reputation” measured with a Global Reputation Index for four family businesses through an empirical research to different stakeholders (multistakeholder approach).

Results: The families with high reputation are most likely to build and strenghten familiness when the solid family reputation is communicated through an effective family based brand identity.

Limits: The most important limit is the number of cases.

Implications: The model provides rapid and clear strategic guidelines that each firm can evaluate in terms of communication strategies that leverage or distance themselves from the family brand.

Originality: To date studies have mainly focused on “how” familiness is generated and “what” is familiness. Scarce attention is still dedicated to analyze the role played by the family in the firm or, in other words, “who” generates familiness. The study answers to “who” generates familiness through a new construct, that is the entrepreneurial family reputation.

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Published

2018-10-25