Social responsibility and employees’ organizational identification in Chinese family firms: Influence of family ownership and family commitment

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the impact of family ownership, and family commitment on employees' organizational identification (EOI) with Chinese family firms, and to test the mediating effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on this relationship.

Findings

The result reveals that family commitment positively influences employees’ organizational identification (EOI) with Chinese family firms. It is also shown that insiders’ responsibility (i.e. investors’ and employees’ responsibility) and public responsibility (i.e. community responsibility) positively influence EOI, and partially mediate the relationship between family commitment and EOI with Chinese family firms. In addition, the result indicates that family ownership positively influences insiders’ responsibility (i.e. investors’, and employees’ responsibility), outsiders’ responsibility (i.e. consumers’ responsibility), environmental responsibility and legal and ethical responsibility, and family commitment positively moderates the relationship between family ownership and insiders’ responsibility (i.e. investors’ and employees’ responsibility), outsiders’ responsibility (i.e. partners’ and consumers’ responsibility) and public responsibility (i.e. environmental responsibility) in Chinese family firms.

Originality/value

This study is the first to examine empirically the relationship between family involvement (i.e. family ownership, family commitment) and EOI from the viewpoint of CSR in Chinese family firms. The study contributes to the understanding of the relationship between family involvement and EOI, as well as the understanding of the influence of CSR on EOI with Chinese family firms.

Citation

Zhou, L. (2014), "Social responsibility and employees’ organizational identification in Chinese family firms: Influence of family ownership and family commitment", Chinese Management Studies, Vol. 8 No. 4, pp. 683-703. https://doi.org/10.1108/CMS-11-2012-0159