Unraveling the Role of Shared Vision and Trust in Constructive Conflict Management of Family Firms. An Empirical Study From a Mixed Methods Approach

Family firms are a unique setting to study constructive conflict management due to the influence of family ties of the owning family imprinting a sense of common purpose and shared destiny, and high levels of trust. We study the relationship between shared vision and trust that intervene in the adop...

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Main Authors: Cristina Alvarado-Alvarez, Immaculada Armadans, María José Parada, M. Teresa Anguera
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.629730/full
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author Cristina Alvarado-Alvarez
Cristina Alvarado-Alvarez
Immaculada Armadans
María José Parada
M. Teresa Anguera
author_facet Cristina Alvarado-Alvarez
Cristina Alvarado-Alvarez
Immaculada Armadans
María José Parada
M. Teresa Anguera
author_sort Cristina Alvarado-Alvarez
collection DOAJ
description Family firms are a unique setting to study constructive conflict management due to the influence of family ties of the owning family imprinting a sense of common purpose and shared destiny, and high levels of trust. We study the relationship between shared vision and trust that intervene in the adoption of constructive conflict management. To achieve our purpose, we carried out a systematic indirect observation using a mixed methods approach. We used the narratives of 17 semi-structured interviews, audio-recorded and transcribed, of family and non-family managers or directors from five Spanish family firms in the siblings' partnership stage, combined with documentary data obtained from different sources. Intra- and inter-observer reliability were confirmed. Results show a dynamic relationship between shared vision and specific components of trust (benevolence and ability) at different levels of conflict management. We also provide evidence of specific processes of concurrence-seeking and open-mindedness in family and ownership forums accounting for the relevance of family governance in these type of organizations. Family firms are a sum of several subsystems which exhibit a particular resources configuration. This study sheds light on constructive conflict management in family firms opening interesting avenues for further research and offering practical implications to managers, owners, and advisors.
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spelling doaj.art-4e2b814e31cd4d8c9db8a891238347f32022-12-21T18:42:27ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782021-06-011210.3389/fpsyg.2021.629730629730Unraveling the Role of Shared Vision and Trust in Constructive Conflict Management of Family Firms. An Empirical Study From a Mixed Methods ApproachCristina Alvarado-Alvarez0Cristina Alvarado-Alvarez1Immaculada Armadans2María José Parada3M. Teresa Anguera4Department of Basic, Developmental and Educational Psychology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, PsicoSAO-Research Group in Social, Environmental, and Organizational Psychology, Institute of Research in Education, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainStrategy and General Management Department, ESADE Business School, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona, SpainFaculty of Psychology, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainFamily firms are a unique setting to study constructive conflict management due to the influence of family ties of the owning family imprinting a sense of common purpose and shared destiny, and high levels of trust. We study the relationship between shared vision and trust that intervene in the adoption of constructive conflict management. To achieve our purpose, we carried out a systematic indirect observation using a mixed methods approach. We used the narratives of 17 semi-structured interviews, audio-recorded and transcribed, of family and non-family managers or directors from five Spanish family firms in the siblings' partnership stage, combined with documentary data obtained from different sources. Intra- and inter-observer reliability were confirmed. Results show a dynamic relationship between shared vision and specific components of trust (benevolence and ability) at different levels of conflict management. We also provide evidence of specific processes of concurrence-seeking and open-mindedness in family and ownership forums accounting for the relevance of family governance in these type of organizations. Family firms are a sum of several subsystems which exhibit a particular resources configuration. This study sheds light on constructive conflict management in family firms opening interesting avenues for further research and offering practical implications to managers, owners, and advisors.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.629730/fullshared visiontrustconstructive conflict managementfamily firmmixed methods approach
spellingShingle Cristina Alvarado-Alvarez
Cristina Alvarado-Alvarez
Immaculada Armadans
María José Parada
M. Teresa Anguera
Unraveling the Role of Shared Vision and Trust in Constructive Conflict Management of Family Firms. An Empirical Study From a Mixed Methods Approach
Frontiers in Psychology
shared vision
trust
constructive conflict management
family firm
mixed methods approach
title Unraveling the Role of Shared Vision and Trust in Constructive Conflict Management of Family Firms. An Empirical Study From a Mixed Methods Approach
title_full Unraveling the Role of Shared Vision and Trust in Constructive Conflict Management of Family Firms. An Empirical Study From a Mixed Methods Approach
title_fullStr Unraveling the Role of Shared Vision and Trust in Constructive Conflict Management of Family Firms. An Empirical Study From a Mixed Methods Approach
title_full_unstemmed Unraveling the Role of Shared Vision and Trust in Constructive Conflict Management of Family Firms. An Empirical Study From a Mixed Methods Approach
title_short Unraveling the Role of Shared Vision and Trust in Constructive Conflict Management of Family Firms. An Empirical Study From a Mixed Methods Approach
title_sort unraveling the role of shared vision and trust in constructive conflict management of family firms an empirical study from a mixed methods approach
topic shared vision
trust
constructive conflict management
family firm
mixed methods approach
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.629730/full
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