The role of family relationships in family firms: antecedents, organisational mechanisms and effects on business behaviour

• Autores: María Avenza Ivars
• Directores de la Tesis: Alejandro Escribá Esteve (dir. tes.)
• Lectura: En la Universitat de València ( España ) en 2026
• Idioma: inglés
• Número de páginas: 180
• Títulos paralelos:
  • El papel de las relaciones familiares en la empresa familiar: antecedentes, palancas organizativas y consecuencias en el comportamiento empresarial
• Tribunal Calificador de la Tesis: José Ángel Zúñiga Vicente (presid.), María Iborra Juan (secret.), Allan Fernando Discua Cruz (voc.)
• Programa de doctorado: Programa de Doctorado en Dirección de Empresas por la Universitat de València (Estudi General)
• Menciones:
  • Internacional
• Calificación: Sobresaliente
• Materias:
  • Ciencias económicas
    • Organización y dirección de empresas
      • Organización de recursos humanos
• Enlaces
  • Tesis en acceso abierto en:  TESEO  RODERIC 
• Resumen

  • Family businesses play a key role in the global economy due to their significant presence within the business sector and their contribution to job creation. Their importance is not limited solely to their economic weight, but also to their distinctive characteristics arising from the interaction between the family and the business, which makes them complex organizations in which decision-making is influenced by both economic and emotional factors. Unlike non-family businesses, these organizations pursue both financial and non-financial objectives simultaneously. Whilst the former are associated with economic performance, the latter are linked to family identity, emotional attachment, the continuity of the legacy and the maintenance of control. In this context, family relationships are a key element in understanding the behavior of the family business, as they influence decision-making and the organizational climate. The aim of this doctoral thesis is to analyze the role of family relationships in family businesses. Specifically, it focuses on three aspects: (i) factors that influence family relationships, (ii) organizational and family mechanisms that contribute to improving their quality, and (iii) their effects on business behavior, particularly in the adoption of ESG practices. To this end, data from the STEP Project Global Consortium for 2021 and 2023 are used. In the first chapter, using the fsQCA methodology, it is shown that relational strain is not due to a single cause, but rather to a combination of multiple organizational and family factors. In the second study, using linear regressions, it is observed that dimensions of socio-emotional wealth such as family identity and emotional attachment have a positive influence on family cohesion; the same is true of transformational leadership. Finally, in the third study, using PLS-SEM, it is shown that legacy orientation drives the adoption of ESG practices, particularly when family relationships are of high quality, whilst organizational performance facilitates their implementation. In summary, the findings confirm that family relationships are a key element in family businesses, acting as a mechanism that links organizational factors, internal processes and business outcomes