Mediation in family businesses
Objective and subjective elements for conflict management
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66744/xy4wsv12Keywords:
family businesses, values, commitment, communication, business heritageAbstract
Family businesses constitute spaces particularly prone to the emergence of conflicts; nevertheless, the influence of families on the business’s basic and cultural principles of the business can be incomparable and even beneficial for business development. The corporate culture of this type of organization is deeply influenced by the personality, values, and beliefs of the founding generation, whose initial cultural imprint often hinders subsequent attempts to transform the company’s cultural foundations. This study aims to analyze the relevance and potential applications of intra-organizational mediation as an effective and non-adversarial means for managing conflicts arising from intergenerational cultural exchange in family businesses. Regarding the method, the study adopts a qualitative approach and a non-experimental design. In terms of type, it is based on documentary analysis and a bibliographic review of specialized literature on mediation and family businesses, with an exploratory and descriptive scope. The results show that intra-organizational mediation has a positive impact on resolving conflicts arising from cultural and generational differences in families with prosperous businesses by fostering communication, reducing confrontation, and promoting sustainable agreements among the involved actors. It is concluded that the identification and application of mediation mechanisms constitute an effective path toward integration and strengthening for family businesses, as they not only contribute to conflict resolution but also promote organizational cohesion and the intergenerational continuity of the enterprise.
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