Anglo vs. Asian Family Business: A Cultural Comparison and Analysis

Abstract

This paper compares the family characteristics and work cultures of family businesses in Anglo, Southern Asia, and Confucian Asia cultures. Using the GLO BE classification and findings, the Anglo cluster of nations is distinguished by its strong performance orientation but weak family orientation. The Confucian Asian cluster is characterized by a strong performance and family orientation, and strong institutional collectivism. The Southern Asia cluster is distinguished by a strong family and humane orientation – a hallmark of its deep community orientation. Results indicate differing patterns in terms of the involvement of the family in the family business and other key organizational dimensions, although all three cultures share contextual embeddedness. The two Asian regions are similar only in terms of their high operational resiliency and business longevity, in contrast with the Anglo region, which is more moderate. For academicians, results suggest opportunities for examination of the impact of cultural and contextual differences on the relevance of prevailing theories of family business; for practitioners, results provide insights for global family business practice.

Family as a Socio‐economic Actor in the Political Economies of East and South East Asian Welfare Capitalisms

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A Thematic Analysis of Cultural Variations in Family Businesses: The CASE Project

“…The CASE (Culturally-Sensitive Assessment Systems and Education) project, launched in 2005, seeks to (a) complement a predominantly Anglo-centric worldview of family businesses by expanding it to other cultures, particularly in the emerging markets (Gupta, Levenburg, Moore, Motwani, & Schwarz, 2008a, 2008b; (b) compare and contrast family businesses in distinct metaclusters (e.g., Asian-Gupta, Levenburg, Moore, Motwani, & Schwarz, 2009;African-Gupta et al, in press-a;Protestant-Gupta et al, in press-b;and CatholicGupta & Levenburg, in press); and (c) investigate the cross-cultural variations in family business dimensions (this article).…”

Exercising responsible leadership in a Singapore context

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