How to build a brand-oriented family firm: The impact of socioemotional wealth (SEW) dimensions

Abstract

Literature has recently increased its attention on brand management in family firms. Blurring boundaries between family and business, divergent interests of family and non-family members, or a peculiar strategic decision-making framework in which the family’s socioemotional wealth (SEW) may be prioritized make brand management particularly complex. We contribute to the literature through a pioneering study of the benefits of brand orientation for family firm performance, and by examining how the different SEW dimensions drive the adoption of a brand-oriented culture in this kind of firm. Empirical findings from a representative sample of 120 Chilean family firms reveal the positive impact on brand orientation of binding social ties, renewal of family bonds, and identification with the family firm, and confirm that brand orientation enhances performance. Brand orientation thus emerges as a key, yet hitherto neglected, mediating factor to reconcile SEW preservation with economic performance, which entails relevant theoretical and managerial implications.