The Burden of History in the Family Business Organization

In this article we focus on the study of history through the use of narratives, within the context of the prevalent form of organization worldwide: the family business. Specifically we consider the dilemma of the impossible gift of succession using Nietzsche’s discussion of the burden of history and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Organization studies 2016-08, Vol.37 (8), p.1089-1111
Main Authors: Hjorth, Daniel, Dawson, Alexandra
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Family owned businesses
History
Narratives
Organization theory
Succession planning
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Summary:In this article we focus on the study of history through the use of narratives, within the context of the prevalent form of organization worldwide: the family business. Specifically we consider the dilemma of the impossible gift of succession using Nietzsche’s discussion of the burden of history and paralleling the story of a family business succession with that of Shakespeare’s King Lear. This way, we seek to make a contribution to organizational studies by answering recent calls to engage more with history in studies of business organizations. By implication, the study also initiates an integration of family business studies into organization studies.
ISSN:0170-8406
1741-3044
DOI:10.1177/0170840615613375