Tensions Within Family Business-Owning Couples Over Time

Abstract

The present study examined tensions generated by business issues for 187 family business-owning wives and husbands over a period of time. Family and business goal ranking identified the first priority goal of business owners (husbands) as positive reputation with customers and of wives (household managers) as good family relationships. The tension questions reflect the five conflict content areas of justice, role clarity, work/family balance, identity, and succession. Work/family and justice conflicts were the highest tension producers for both spouses in each time period. About 20% of wives and husbands reported higher work/family conflict in 2000 over 1997. Five out of seven business tensions statistically reduced from 1997 to 2000 for wives; three out of seven statistically reduced for husbands. Family FIRO model is proposed as an assessment and problem-solving model for working with family businesses.

KEYWORDS:

• business-owning couples
• conflict
• family businesses
• family conflict
• family FIRO

Notes

Note. ∗p < .05 = statistical difference between 2000 and 1997.

^a p < .05 = statistical difference between wives and husbands; is located at smaller of two means.

Note. ^a p < .05 = statistical difference between wives and husbands; stars are located at smaller of two means.

This study reports results from the Cooperative Regional Research Project, NE-167R, “Family Businesses: Interaction in Work and Family Spheres,” partially supported by the Cooperative States Research, Education and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Experiment Stations at University of Hawaii at Manoa, University of Illinois, Purdue University (Indiana), Iowa State University, Michigan State University, University of Minnesota, Montana State University, University of Nebraska, Cornell University (New York), North Dakota State University, The Ohio State University, The Pennsylvania State University, Texas A & M University, Utah State University, The University of Vermont, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (for The University of Manitoba).