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The Diversity of Deviance: How It Can Hurt (and Help) Families and Family Firms

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The Palgrave Handbook of Heterogeneity among Family Firms

Abstract

Dysfunctional and deviant behavior may have different antecedents and effects based on diversity of the family system and the family firm. This chapter describes deviant behavior at varying levels of analysis and discusses how deviance can diminish, as well as enhance, family firm functioning and performance. Utilizing multiple theories of family science, we develop a framework contrasting and classifying different types of deviance as dysfunctional, functional, and strategic and apply these types to family firms. We also examine the impact of culture, familial imprinting, and differences among families to address when deviant behavior is likely to result in positive or negative implications for the family firm. We then suggest avenues for future research that examine the potential for deviant behavior to improve or detract from family firm performance.

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Kidwell, R.E., Cox, K.C., Kloepfer, K.E. (2019). The Diversity of Deviance: How It Can Hurt (and Help) Families and Family Firms. In: Memili, E., Dibrell, C. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Heterogeneity among Family Firms. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77676-7_24

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