Not That Emotional After All. An Exploratory Study of the Calculative Commitment of Family Firm CEOs

Abstract

We explore the relationship between the calculative commitment of family firm CEOs and cohesion in family firms and discuss how this relationship is affected by the interplay of calculative commitment and firm performance. In doing so, we underline the relevance of rational cost-benefit analyses in the context of family firms and highlight family cohesion as a tool to secure personal and family wealth. Our findings suggest that the higher the calculative commitment of family firm CEOs and the higher the performance of the firm, the higher the stakes to sustain cohesion as a tool to secure personal investments and claims on accumulated firm outcomes. By demonstrating how social considerations about the business family are affected by the interplay of CEO calculative commitment and firm performance, we add to a better understanding of the complex nature of family firms.