Images in Existing Family Business Theories: Metaphors and Root Metaphors

Alessandra Tognazzo ()
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Alessandra Tognazzo: University of Padua

Chapter Chapter 2 in Family Business Metaphors, 2022, pp 25-51 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Metaphors are necessary for family business theory. Like all metaphors, also the metaphors of family firms focus on thinking in ways that make it hard, if not impossible, to think in terms of alternative metaphors. Therefore, being aware of the impact of our inner images may help us uncover hidden aspects of the context of interest. In this chapter, I focus on the main root metaphors in family business studies: the system and the contract. The systemic view considers family businesses as circles, entities (with boundaries and structure), people (characterized by their goals, dispositions, and identities), or input-output models (that use resources and produce an output). Then, I explain the relevance and implications of the contract metaphor in other perspectives, such as the agency theory and its developments. Finally, I discuss the metaphorical role assumed by the observer, stressing the need for a focus on clarity, coherency, responsibility, and authenticity toward the meaning of the image we create or adopt and the hidden meanings we convey.

Keywords: Family business theories; Root metaphors; Gift economy; Gift-giving; Transitivity; Reciprocity; Systems theory; Agency theory; Stewardship theory; Socioemotional wealth (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-031-05248-4_2

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-05248-4_2

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