Human resources involve “the knowledge, skills, networks and energies of people and, underpinning them, their physical and emotional health, intellectual capabilities, personalities and motivations” (Boxall, 2013, p. 13). They are vital for both individuals and organizations. Individuals need human resources as a source of livelihood and to fulfil their human potentials; organizations require human resources as a source of competitive advantage and continual renewal. However, finding congruence between the person and the organization has always been challenging (Argyris, 1964): How to manage human resources to createmutual benefitsfor both individuals (in terms of employee well-being and human flourishing)andorganizations (in terms of high performance) in contrast to realizing conflicting outcomes?
In contemporary HRM research and practice there has been a resurgence of interest in how HRM is able to achievemutualityor mutual benefits for all key stakeholders, including the employee base, as opposed to HRM solely improving returns to owners and shareholders (Boxall, 2013; Beer, Boselie, & Brewster, 2015; Edgar, Geare, Zhang, & McAndrew, 2015; Valizade, Ogbonnaya, Tregaskis, & Forde, 2016; Guest, 2017). For example, Boxall (2013) has outlined three conditions under which mutuality (or a stronger alignment of interests, or a better person-organization fit) can be achieved in employment relationships. First, a capability match, meaning a match between the employer’s need for a capable, talented workforce and the employees’ need for a supportive work environment conducive to develop one’s potential (e.g., Verleysen, Lambrechts, & Van Acker, 2015). Second, a commitment match, meaning a fit between the employer’s need for commitment and flexibility of employees and the employees’ need for job security, experience built-up, and fairness of treatment. Third, a contribution match, whereby both parties perceive that their respective needs are being met. The underlying idea is one of reciprocity, “such that if the employer prioritizes HR practices that promote well-being [the overall quality of an employee’s experience and functioning at work, Warr, 1987], employees in return will respond positively, reflected in various indicators of performance” (Guest, 2017, p. 28).
This Special Issue on “Human Resources and Mutual Gains in Family Firms” aims to bring the mutuality perspective from the field of HRM into the family business domain. Family businesses’ features can impact on a number of mutuality issues, related to HRM, such as the fit between the individual (human development and flourishing) and the organization (design), including managing the recruitment and the selection process of human potential, motivating people, alignment of remuneration packages, and developing people considering work-life balance as well as organization-group-individual “soft” domains, such as needs, motivations, commitment, job satisfaction, individual development, organizational citizenship, leadership styles, managing conflicts, and negotiations. This implicates looking at employment relationships from both sides, the employee and the family firm.
By focusing on mutuality in the employment relationship in family firms, a myriad of theories and concepts from the organizational behavior domain become highly relevant to advance theory on HR management and development in family firms: fairness/equity, self-determination, intrinsic motivation, voice, citizenship behavior, trust, psychological contract, appreciative inquiry, positive organizational behavior, social learning, psychological capital, task enrichment, etc. Furthermore, a mutuality perspective will help to give HRM research in family firms more coherence and direction. Currently, the body of HRM knowledge in the family business domain is scarce and largely undertheorized (Cruz, Firfiray, & Gómez-Mejía, 2011). Lansberg (1983) and Astrachan and Kolenko (1994) were among the first to emphasize the importance of sound HR practices in family firms contributing to organizational capability as a source of potential competitive advantage (Astrachan & Kolenko, 1994). Research by de Kok, Uhlaner, and Thurik (2006) found that family firms tend to make less use of professional HR practices as opposed to non-family firms because of lower capability ora lesser need to do so because of lower agency costs. Furthermore, pointing to the importance of taking heterogeneity of family firms into account, McCann, Leon-Guerrero, and Hailey Jr. (2001) found that growth family firms rated the importance of HR issues significantly higher than family firms that were not growing. Barnett and Kellermanns (2006) conceptualized the link between justice perceptions of nonfamily employees and family-influenced HR practices within family firms and Hauswald, Hack, Kellermanns, & Patzelt (2016), using a person-organization fit logic, found that job applicants who value conservation or self-transcendence are particularly attracted by family firms, while those who seek openness to change or self-enhancement are less attracted. Cruz, Firfiray, and Gómez-Mejía (2011) proposed to take a socioemotional wealth (SEW) perspective to better understand the (determinants and uniqueness of) HR practices in family firms and formulated propositions to guide future research efforts.
We invite submissions from various disciplines, such as organizational behavior, HRM, organization theory, management, family business or combinations thereof. Contributions can be conceptual (including critical literature reviews or “state-of-the-art” articles) and/or empirical (qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods). The special issue aims to critically review and advance theorizations and methodological applications to the study of managing and developing human resources in a family business context, highlighting the relevance of different theories in advancing our knowledge of HR issues in family firms. Papers which adopt innovative approaches or challenge our understanding of family business and HRM are welcome. Action research papers with an intervention focus are also welcomed. Review papers as well as empirical and theoretical papers will be considered.
We welcome papers that represent the theme of the special issue: Human Resources and Mutual Gains in Family Firms. Possible topics/questions include, but are not limited to the following:
- How and when are HR practices and policies in family firms likely to contribute to mutuality in employment relationships and the management of human resources?
- How do families and family dynamics affect key HR issues and practices? How and when do SEW motivated objectives contribute to or hamper mutuality in the employment relationship?
- How are employees attracted, motivated, trained and retained in family firms? How does this impact employees’ well-being/flourishing and performance indicators of the family firm?
- What reward and compensation systems are chosen, developed, and used in family firms? How do these systems affect motivation/well-being/flourishing and firm performance indicators?
- How do family firms invest in people’s psychological resource capacities of self-efficacy, hope, optimism, and resilience, and how is this linked to indicators of performance or (sustained) competitive advantage?
- What kind of HRM practices are likely to be (uniquely) found in family firms, and why? What is their impact on mutuality in the employment relationship?
- How does family heterogeneity shape family business HR practices and outcomes?
- In what ways, and by whom, is the HRM function enacted in family firms? Is there a difference with non-family firms?
- How do family firms manage industrial relations (constructively)? Can we find family firms unique features shaping these relationships?