Interpreting the Discourses of Family Business

Abstract

Familes in business draw from two discourses–those of family and those of business–in order to speak about and make sense of themselves and their world. This article surveys these two voices and then explores what it means to add the voice of consulting. While ideally the voices of business and family can work together, in reality they often work at cross-purposes and create difficulties for families in business as well as the people who work with them. Potential difficulties arise in part from patterned differences that come into play when voices are combined and compete for the final say on what is real for the family business. Some of these differences are noted and concluding recommendations for practitioners are advanced.