Preview

Communication Problems in Family Business

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1281 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Communication Problems in Family Business
'Communication Problems in the Family Business '

Abstract
For family businesses, effective communication is an even more integral factor for successful business operations due to the peculiarity that personal (family) emotions frequently interfere with business decisions. Family businesses often have to struggle with conflicts among members of the organization, low managerial abilities, interfered daily business activities, and customer relationships that suffer from the lack of structure and poor communication. The research provided in this paper shows that small family businesses face similar problems, whereas effective communication is the most frequently mentioned issue regarding the need for improvement in family businesses. This paper considers the importance of common expectations and values to guide family members, thereby eliminating areas for dispute. Other important findings are that leadership training and structured responsibilities (clear work roles) make the management more congruent and improve managerial communication; well-managed employees, who have direction and know about priorities, affect business activities positively; and that a professional appearance of the family business has a positive impact on customer relationships. The conclusion presented at the end of this document states that once the family business has successfully implemented an effective organizational and information communication scheme that includes emphasis on family values, then the business will be able to make use of the particular advantages a family business can have.
"Introducing an organizational communication and information scheme to a family business eliminates potential areas for dispute, improves the managerial abilities and business activities, and has a positive impact on customer relationships.

Statement of Problem
Family businesses differ from other businesses due to family involvement in the business. Due to this peculiarity, communication is

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Bmgt365 FinalProject

    • 2673 Words
    • 8 Pages

    With any business, it is important that employees have the ability to fulfill multiple roles so that the business can increase productivity, efficiency, and popularity. However, in order to accomplish these duties and set goals, managers and leaders must be present to steer employees in the right direction. A business is only as good as it is led and managed. This is particularly true in family owned business where generations take on the role of leaders and managers through the years. In the case of small-town, family-owned businesses, such as AT&D, the same business plans and strategies are usually passed along generations and used simply because they have worked in the past. While these “family secret” business plans can often help a business in the beginning years, they can begin to fail as time passes. Environment and technology changes as well as changes in the economy often mean that businesses mush analyze and improve their business plans. The ability to start a business with success is a major accomplishment, however, the ability to continue to maintain and improve for decades is an outstanding accomplishment that many business should attempt to achieve. As a family owned business that has earned the respect and patronage of the Farmington Hills community, Kelly Mueller and her father, Vine Brofft must begin to examine and analyze the current business location and leadership plan. To ensure that AT&D continues to increase sales and succeed into the far future, both father and daughter must make changes in the company. While some external changes will need to be made, internal changes that will potentially improve the current leadership style and relationships in the business will also need to be made.…

    • 2673 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Post Test

    • 540 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In a family business, the interests of the family and the interests of the business are best described as…

    • 540 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    It is true that being part of a family business can have the advantages as stated above, but it also comes with its own list of hardships that may not be suffered by a non-family run company. There can be many pros and cons to both types of businesses, and with that means different types of strategies to overcome individual obstacles. This takes looking at both types of companies from the outside with an objective eye and seeing what the advantages of each are as well as the pitfalls.…

    • 1032 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Working in my family business I face obstacles that hinder communication within the business every day. Within the workplace we have to have effective communication because the business is essentially three businesses in one. Vibes Cuisine is a Dine-in Restaurant, Dance Hall, and a Take-out or Delivery Restaurant. We always have everyone on the same page about the day to day goals and requirements before we even open the shop. Initially the shop was a small diner that only a few people frequented and even fewer newly visited. We as a family and the owners of the restaurant had a goal to triple our demographic and triple the daily revenue. Thus we embarked on a campaign to grow the business and make a concrete communication network between the workers and the customers. First we identified the various problems we as the workers had with communication. Some people wanted to remain a small business others wanted to grow exponentially. We had issue with knowledge of food availability, dance hall times, and information on delivery orders. Firstly we fixed those so that we could effectively run the business and a cohesive manner. We also had issue with contacting workers, and even responding to customer inquiries. In order to fix that we created a call log right next to the telephone where every employee’s number was readily available. We also created a standard procedure of who to call and when to call if any customer had to call out of work or needed to leave early. We made sure everyone was on the same page and heard the same information so that we could have a successful communication tree. We then used networking to not only attract new customers but retain returning ones. We communicated with other business around town and placed advertising in those respective businesses and gave them knowledge of operation times and general menu selections. We also made sure that our business line was open nearly all day and there was always someone there available…

    • 503 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The following paper discusses the importance of business communication and the role it plays for the effectiveness of a business. It would further highlight how employing communication tools help in managing daily workload, the comparison of different trends of communication at my present job and at my last job United States Marine Corps. Communication can be defined as “the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs” (Communication, 2009)…

    • 655 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Title: Examining Family Communication as it relates to Impulsiveness, Self-Efficacy, and Body Image among African American College Students.…

    • 1010 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    There are many areas to be explored underneath the Communications Studies umbrella making it quite difficult to narrow down a specific subject to write about. After performing some research I chose to discuss conflict and communication styles within families. Conflict seems to be an inevitable event in all-interpersonal relationships and the way one manages such conflict can determine how the rest of the relationship may be influenced. According to Wilmot and Hocker (2005). Conflict is usually a struggle between at least two parties who have indifferences in goals. Families tend to deal with this issue differently based upon communication patterns, perceptions and environment.…

    • 1001 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Communication is one of the most vital components of a business! It is imperative that every business practices good communication within its members. From a managerial perspective, mangers have to make sure they carry out effective communication skills by actively listening to verbal and nonverbal messages. A fundamental strength of great leaders is that they communicate a powerful sense of urgency that mobilizes all troops in pursuit of a brighter and better future (Richardson, 2009). Communication is necessary for all walks of life. It is necessary in the workplace, between employees and their managers, CEOs, and fellow employees. According to one article by McEwen, communication is directly linked to company profits (Ewen, 1998). Furthermore, communication is necessary in maintaining healthy relationships between family and friends, and especially with significant others. The present paper will analyze how and where communication was impaired and the resulting consequences it created in a very prominent financial company.…

    • 1549 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    My name is Tom , and I have experienced several interpersonal conflicts with family, friend, and a total stranger. Throughout this paper I’m going to discuss an interpersonal conflict that I experienced with my parent and my family and friend. I will do this by addressing the elements of a conflict which include the parties involved in the conflict, the actual issue of the conflict, and the context of the conflict and later identifying conflict management strategies, behaviors, outcomes, and the conflict aftermath using the Conflict Lens Model.…

    • 1877 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Family Communication

    • 1089 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Through experience, I’ve gathered that learning the different ways, in which a family unit communicates with one another, is key to understanding the roles that each person plays in keeping their unit strong. Living with 3 different family’s (closed, open, and random) helped me to understand that all families’ are different but didn’t really allow me the time to fully conceive what it meant to feel at home or comfortable enough to communicate with my family. Nothing was stable. Often times because of this lack of communication, I had issues with understanding my role in the family. Having little to no sense of entitlement, subconsciously, I often forced myself to be the outsider. Having time to reflect, I believe that a sense of privilege and belonging is essential to a child’s development in connectedness within their family and even those around them.…

    • 1089 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Miscommunication is the root of many conflicts. But what exactly causes conflicts? Many people will pick as the primary factor of conflicts is miscommunication. Why? Because it opens up the triangle of other factors that inevitably leads to conflict. The conflict triangle includes miscommunication taking the first side, fear taking the second side, and assumption taking the third part.…

    • 2207 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    This study explored the relationship between business partners as being an exchange relationship and family members and friends as communal.…

    • 1585 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Businesses rely on effective communication to achieve their goals. Advertising must communicate clear messages to customers about sales or the business brand. Supervisors must communicate clear tasks and objectives to subordinates. In many cases, though, communication breaks down in the absence of effective messages. Effective messages must meet five basic criteria.…

    • 515 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Resolving Family Conflict

    • 1593 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Families provide people with an atmosphere in which to live, grow, and develop. A family culture is established by the parents and instilled in the children during their upbringing. A healthy family is a family which follows a set of strong morals, stays loyal to one another, cooperates, and works together to avoid conflict. An environment where there is openness amongst family members is ideal because minds that are open are more susceptible to avoiding conflict than minds that are closed. If conflict gets the best of a family, it has the potential to increase hostility and create remoteness between family members, however, if a family resolves conflict, it can strengthen and enforce the family relationships.…

    • 1593 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Family communication differs from other forms merely because it is attached to the growth of a family unit as a whole. Verbal and non-verbal information is exchanged daily and being able to pay attention to what others are thinking and feeling is key to maintaining a healthy environment where family members can express their needs, wants and concerns. The family unit has the power to create an atmosphere of love and openness where each member can openly express their differences as well as their love and appreciation for each other.…

    • 610 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays