This commentary adopts a cross-disciplinary framework to discuss possible influences of both family and ethnicity on business performance in the marketplace. Both family and ethnicity are viewed as “upstream factors” that may help a business gain a favorable identity with potential stakeholders. Family businesses that have an ethnic background in common with customers, employees, and suppliers may receive preferential treatment. Communities may patronize a business simply because of an associated group identity. Thus, ethnic collectivism may alter some assumptions about family businesses and how they compete.
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