Title: Exploring the construct of family business in the emerging markets

Authors: Vipin Gupta, Nancy Levenburg, Lynda L. Moore, Jaideep Motwani, Thomas V. Schwarz

Addresses: Roslyn Solomon Jaffe Chair Professor of Strategy, Simmons College School of Management, E-208, 300 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115, USA. ' Seidman College of Business, Grand Valley State University, 441-C DeVos Center, 401 W. Fulton Street, Grand Rapids, MI 49504, USA. ' Simmons College School of Management, E-208, 300 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115, USA. ' Seidman College of Business, Grand Valley State University, 409-C DeVos Center, 401 W. Fulton Street, Grand Rapids, MI 49504, USA. ' Family Owned Business Institute, Grand Valley State University, 332-C DeVos Center, 401 W. Fulton Street, Grand Rapids, MI 49504, USA

Abstract: This paper examines the relevance for the emerging markets of the construct of family business, in terms of three parameters – pre-dominance of the family in business, engagement of the family dominantly in the business, and identification of the family with the business. The literature proposes these parameters to be the distinctive measures of family business construct. Using the GLOBE cultural clustering, family business models are studied in various emerging market cultures. Many diverse models of family businesses are found to be rated low on the three parameters. The study suggests a need for additional ways of measuring family influence.

Keywords: family business; culture; comparative study; qualitative analysis; emerging markets; cultural clustering.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBEM.2008.020869

International Journal of Business and Emerging Markets, 2008 Vol.1 No.2, pp.189 - 208

Published online: 19 Oct 2008 *

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