Exploring Customer Relationship Research in Family Businesses: A Scoping Review and Future Insights

Abstract

This paper aims to demonstrate the relevance of customer relationship research in the context of family businesses, to structure existing literature, and to identify promising areas for further research. By conducting a scoping review of relevant peer-reviewed journal articles published from 2005 to 2021 and adhering to the Prisma protocol for enhanced transparency and quality, this paper underscores the pivotal role of customer relationship management in the success of family businesses, emphasizing a tendency towards conservative and traditional approaches. The owner-manager involvement, especially in the BtoB segment, is recognized as a distinct advantage, urging an exploration of specific strategies for managing customer relationships in both B to C and B to B sectors. Also, social capital is deemed crucial, extending its significance beyond customers to suppliers and employees, focusing on the influence of generational transitions on stakeholder relations. The imperative for deliberate relationship strategies during successions is emphasized. Moreover, the significance of customer orientation for success, impacting satisfaction, loyalty, and overall performance, highlights the necessity for empirical studies to gain nuanced insights. Additionally, consumer behavior towards family businesses, shaped by the communication of familial identity, underscores the need for further research on diverse communication approaches. Lastly, acknowledging the positive impact of corporate social responsibility practices on loyalty and reputation in family businesses underscores the call for context-specific investigations, taking into account corporate social responsibility reporting regulations across countries.