Exploring family values, religion, and ethical behavior in family businesses: A multi-stage qualitative investigation

Chaudhary, Sanjay, Dhir, Amandeep, Nguyen, Duc Khuong, Battisti, Enrico and Kaur, Puneet (2025) Exploring family values, religion, and ethical behavior in family businesses: A multi-stage qualitative investigation. Journal of Business Ethics. ISSN 0167-4544 (In Press)

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Abstract

One key element distinguishing family firms from non-family firms is the role of the family’s religious beliefs, with growing attention on understanding the fit between religion and family in shaping a business’s ethical conduct. A family firm’s behavior is embedded in an institutional context, and it is important to understand how multiple institutional logic shapes a family firm’s values and ethical behavior. While scholars agree on the central significance of family values and religion in shaping family firms’ values and ethical behavior, a definitive consensus on the influence of family values and religion in confronting ethical challenges and shaping ethical behavior has yet to be reached. We lack a theory explaining how family, family business, and religion shape a family firm’s ethical conduct. We conducted a qualitative study to investigate the role of family values and religion in shaping a family firm’s ethical conduct. The results reveal four themes, namely (a) ethical challenges faced by family firms, (b) family values shaping ethical behavior, (c) religion providing a rationale for family firms’ ethical decision-making, and (d) outcomes of ethical decision-making. The principal contribution of our study is clarifying the role of multiple institutional logics in the form of religion and family in explaining ethical behavior. Our findings suggest that the fit between religion, family, and business as an institution guides decision-making, helps family businesses earn a positive reputation in the community by displaying ethical behavior, and develops a positive workplace climate.

Item Type: Article
Keywords: Business ethics | Ethical challenges | Family businesses | Family values | Religion
Subjects: Social Sciences and humanities > Arts and Humanities > Religious studies
Social Sciences and humanities > Business, Management and Accounting > Business and International Management
Social Sciences and humanities > Social Sciences > Social Sciences (General)
Social Sciences and humanities > Social Sciences > Behavioral Studies
Social Sciences and humanities > Social Sciences > Customs, Etiquette and Folklore
JGU School/Centre: Jindal Global Business School
Depositing User: Dharmveer Modi
Date Deposited: 18 Mar 2025 12:28
Last Modified: 18 Mar 2025 12:28
Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-025-05947-5
URI: https://pure.jgu.edu.in/id/eprint/9257

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