Storytelling and cultural family value transmission: Value perception of stories in family firms. Issue 5 (November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zwack, Mirko; Kraiczy, Nils D; von Schlippe, Arist; Hack, Andreas
• Is Part Of: Management learning. Volume 47:Issue 5(2016:Nov.)
• Page Start: 590
• Page End: 614
• Publication Date: 2016-11
• Subjects: Cultural values -- family firms -- narratives -- storytelling -- value perception -- value transmission; Industrial management -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Executives -- Training of -- Periodicals; Organizational learning -- Periodicals; Knowledge management -- Periodicals; 302.35
• DOI: 10.1177/1350507616659833
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1461-7307

Abstract

This study analyses the transmission of cultural family values in family firms through storytelling. Specifically, we investigate whether cultural family values that are intended to be imparted by a story and its teller are also perceived accurately by listeners (i.e. the intended imparted value and the perceived value are congruent). We use a mixed-methods design including a qualitative phase, which identifies stories told in three German family firms, and a quantitative phase, which analyses the value perception (i.e. subjective cognition) of 226 individuals from outside the firm for a selected number of six stories. Results indicate that the intended values of the selected stories are perceived accurately by the individuals. Hence, stories might describe a useful means for transmitting cultural family values in family firms.