Expanding the study of organizational behaviour in family business: Adapting team theory to explore family firms

The manuscript The study of organizational behavior in family business (this issue), contends FBs have been largely overlooked in the organizational behavior literature, yet family businesses are argued to be unique because of the behavioural influence of one particular groupthe family. Indeed the authors argue that the very nature of family relationships is at the essence of what makes family firms unique from other organizational forms. This research paradox of the very need for behavioural understanding, contrasted with the lack of organizational behaviour (OB) research in family firms, is both interesting and puzzling. The authors provide excellent guidance on how the field of OB can be used to explore these behavioural influences from the perspective of four relevant topics: values and goals, leadership and power, trust and justice, and conflict. To extend and further the discussion of OB, this commentary introduces the concepts and theories related to teams, to further explore the unique context of family firms.