A proposed Model for Studying the Impact of Psychological and Social Capital on Generational Succession in Family Businesses
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59994/ajbtme.2025.2.13Keywords:
Psychological Capital, Social Capital, Family Business, Emotional GovernanceAbstract
This study aimed to analyze the impact of psychological capital (self-efficacy, optimism, resilience, hope, and emotional balance) and social capital (family bonds, trust, and internal/external support networks) on generational succession success in Palestinian family businesses, and to develop an integrated conceptual model explaining succession dynamics. Adopting an inductive qualitative exploratory approach, the research conducted semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 11 participants representing 7 family businesses in Hebron Governorate, plus two experts from supportive institutions. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis to extract key patterns and meanings. Results revealed that succession success is closely linked to the level of psychological and social capital within the owning family, with the absence of balance between institutional and emotional dimensions identified as a primary cause of organizational fragmentation. The study diagnosed 40 interconnected dysfunction indicators across five domains: leadership, identity/awareness, communication, management, and financial discipline. Based on findings, the study proposes a dual therapeutic model comprising a "Future Charter" (an administrative-emotional family constitution) and an AI-integrated smart governance program. The scientific originality lies in developing the concept of "emotional governance" as a novel analytical framework, presenting a practical diagnostic-therapeutic roadmap linking dysfunction indicators to specific interventions, and employing the Palestinian context as a rich case study for understanding family business dynamics within politically and economically complex environments. The study contributes theoretically by bridging psychological, social, and institutional dimensions of succession, and practically by offering culturally adapted tools for enhancing family business sustainability across generations.
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