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From Personal Relationship to Psychological Ownership: The Importance of Manager–Owner Relationship Closeness in Family Businesses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2015

Hang Zhu ,
Chao C. Chen ,
Xinchun Li  and
Yinghui Zhou
Hang Zhu
Affiliation:
Sun Yat-sen University, China
Chao C. Chen
Affiliation:
Rutgers University, USA
Xinchun Li
Affiliation:
Sun Yat-sen University, China
Yinghui Zhou
Affiliation:
Shanghai University, China
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Abstract

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Integrating theories of psychological ownership and stewardship, and taking a relational perspective, we examine key antecedents and outcomes of professional managers' psychological ownership in Chinese owner-managed family businesses. We tested the model using a survey of 166 Chinese professional managers (one from each of 166 family businesses). We find that owner–manager relationship closeness at work mediates the effect of both the owner's benevolent leadership and owner–manager friendship ties on the manager's psychological ownership. Psychological ownership, in turn, is positively related to the manager's intention to stay and to stewardship behaviour. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Keywords

benevolent leadershipChinese family businessparticularistic tiespsychological ownershiprelationship closeness仁慈领导中国家族企业特殊连带心理所有权关系亲密度
Type
Articles
Information
Management and Organization Review , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , July 2013 , pp. 295 - 318
Copyright
Copyright © International Association for Chinese Management Research 2013

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