The Power of Communicating the Family Firm Status (eBook)

Dr. Margarete Rosina wrote her dissertation under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Andreas Hack at the Witten Institute for Family Business (WIFU) at Witten/Herdecke University.

Foreword 6
Preface 8
Table of contents 9
List of tables 13
List of figures 14
List of abbreviations 15
1 Introduction 17
1.1 Motivation and research gap 17
1.2 Research goals 19
1.3 Definition of family firms 21
1.4 Definition of key marketing terms 23
1.5 Structure of the dissertation 25
2 Research on marketing in family firms 27
2.1 Theoretical perspectives 27
2.1.1 Resource-based view 27
2.1.2 Organizational identity theory 28
2.1.3 Socioemotional wealth theory 29
2.2 Literature review 30
2.2.1 Consumer perceptions of family businesses 45
2.2.1.1 The consumer as a research object 45
2.2.1.2 The firm as a research object 51
2.2.2 Family firm identity and culture 52
2.2.3 Family firm image and reputation 54
2.2.4 Family firm branding 57
2.2.5 Family firm market orientation 60
2.2.6 Family firm marketing practices 60
2.2.7 Family firms and corporate social responsibility 63
2.3 Summary 65
3 Research methodology and experimental design 73
3.1 Experimental setting 74
3.2 Experimental design and manipulation 75
3.2.1 Design type 75
3.2.2 Manipulation 76
3.2.3 Test product 80
3.2.4 Manipulation check 81
3.3 Participants 84
3.3.1 Selection of participants 84
3.3.2 Acquisition of participants and execution of experiments 85
3.3.3 Final data set 87
3.4 Construct validity and reliability 87
3.5 Data analysis technique 88
4 Study 1: The power of a family firm brand: An experiment in how communicating the family status affects consumer brand choice and willingness to pay 91
4.1 Abstract 91
4.2 Introduction 92
4.3 Theoretical background 95
4.3.1 Brand authenticity 95
4.3.2 Signaling theory and branding 97
4.4 Research model and hypotheses 99
4.4.1 The family firm brand and consumer preferences 100
4.4.2 The mediating role of perceived brand authenticity and its antecedents 102
4.5 Methodology 104
4.5.1 Manipulation and experimental setting 105
4.5.2 Sample and procedure 107
4.5.3 Measures 109
4.5.3.1 Dependent variables 109
4.5.3.2 Control variables 114
4.6 Results 115
4.6.1 Model fit 115
4.6.2 Direct effects 117
4.6.3 Indirect effects 117
4.7 Discussion and research implications 119
4.8 Practical implications 122
4.9 Limitations and future research 122
4.10 Conclusion 124
5 Study 2: Family firms and consumer happiness: Are consumers of familyfirm products happier than consumers of non-family firm products? 126
5.1 Abstract 126
5.2 Introduction 127
5.3 Theoretical background 130
5.4 Research model and hypotheses 133
5.4.1 Family firm status as signal of doing good 135
5.4.1.1 Family firms as good employers 135
5.4.1.2 Family firms and corporate social responsibility 138
5.4.2 Doing good and consumer happiness 140
5.4.2.1 Family firms and consumer happiness for sale 141
5.4.2.2 Family firms and general consumer happiness 141
5.4.3 Moderation 144
5.5 Methodology 145
5.5.1 Method 145
5.5.2 Manipulation 146
5.5.3 Sample and procedure 148
5.5.4 Measures 149
5.5.4.1 Dependent variables 149
5.5.4.2 Control variables 153
5.6 Results 154
5.6.1 Direct effects 155
5.6.2 Indirect effects 157
5.6.3 Moderation effect 158
5.7 Discussion and research implications 159
5.8 Practical implications 162
5.9 Limitation and future research 163
5.10 Conclusion 165
6 Concluding discussion 166
6.1 Discussion and research implications 166
6.2 Practical implications 168
6.3 Limitations and future research 170
6.4 Conclusion 172
References 173