Title: Entrepreneurial activities of Benedictine monasteries - a special form of family business?

Authors: Ksenia Keplinger; Birgit Feldbauer-Durstmüller; Simon Sandberger; Maximilian Neulinger

Addresses: Institute for Management Control and Consulting, Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Altenberger Straße 69, A-4040 Linz, Austria ' Institute for Management Control and Consulting, Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Altenberger Straße 69, A-4040 Linz, Austria ' Institute for Management Control and Consulting, Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Altenberger Straße 69, A-4040 Linz, Austria ' Benedictine Abbey of Lambach, Klosterplatz 1, A-4650 Lambach, Austria

Abstract: This paper develops a robust theoretical framework for studying leadership in a monastic context. We conceptualise a monk's accountability as an ongoing activity influenced by the interactions between the abbot as an evaluating audience and the elements of the responsibility triangle. Additionally, we conduct a comparative analysis of the entrepreneurial activities of Benedictine monasteries and family business activities and thus demonstrate that the former can be considered as a special form of family business. Finally, we discuss the relevance of monastic leadership to family business and make suggestions on how to implement the key aspects. For instance, family businesses could learn from the Benedictines how new employees can be integrated into a family business and how the shared values can be internalised. The adoption of participative decision-making and the proactive approach of the Benedictines to succession planning are further implications of monastic leadership to family business.

Keywords: accountability; responsibility; Benedictine monasteries; family business; family firms; monastic leadership; entrepreneurial activities; entrepreneurship; Benedictine monks; participative decision making; Benedictines; succession planning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEV.2016.082217

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing, 2016 Vol.8 No.4, pp.317 - 333

Received: 24 Oct 2014
Accepted: 26 Jan 2015
Published online: 13 Feb 2017 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article