Country Differences in Family Firm Reputation: An Exploration in Germany, India, and the United States

Abstract

While most studies on family firm branding report positive reputational consequences, we lack empirical evidence to which degree these benefits vary across different geographical contexts. This study explores associations elicited by the term family business in Germany, India, and the United States and discusses reasons for the varying differentiation power of the family firm signal. Our large-scale association study (n = 1,383) reveals that prototypical family firm perceptions are prevalent in the United States and Germany, but less in India. Through qualitative insights and an experimental study, we investigate why the power of the family firm signal to enhance reputation varies across countries.