How family business practices are created, maintained, and transformed across generations from a community of practice lens

Abstract

We conceptualize the family business as a community of practice to advance an understanding of how individuals involved in family businesses collectively learn about family practices and how such practices are created, maintained, and transformed across generations. We utilize an in-depth case study of an 86-year-old family business, spanning three generations, drawing upon 50 interviews, 673 archival documents, and 25 observational instances across a 14-year period. Our findings reveal how practices are transferred across generations to family and non-family members, redefining how we view ‘family business’ based on shared practices.