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Ownership Style in Family Business
In family businesses, even when family owners share similar
values, a strong sense of identity, and a common history, they are not all the same. Ownership
behaviour is shaped by the underlying intentions of owners, which reflect their values,
priorities, and relationship with the business. These intentions influence not only how owners
engage with the business but also how they approach decision-making.
To better understand how ownership styles impact ownership behaviours, we
develop a model that highlights two primary drivers of their orientations toward intentions:
Group-oriented behaviour and Wealth-oriented behaviour.
1. Group-oriented Behaviour
Group-oriented behaviour describes the extent to
which family owners strive to cultivate a cohesive group aligned with shared goals, values, and
expectations. This orientation can be considered on a continuum with two extremes:
2. Wealth-oriented Behaviour
Wealth-oriented behaviour describes the extent to
which family owners prioritize the accumulation, preservation, and expansion of family wealth.
It reflects their approach to financial growth, investment strategies, and long-term economic
sustainability. This orientation can be considered on a continuum with two extremes:
The combination between the two primary orientations results in four
distinct ownership styles, each reflecting a different balance between group commitment and
wealth priorities.
Click on the titles to learn more about each of the four ownership
styles:
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