Intergenerational communication barriers and pitfalls of business families in transition—a qualitative action research approach

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the pertinent issues, barriers and pitfalls of intergenerational communication in business families during their leadership succession period. Design/methodology/approach: Building on relational leadership theory, the paper makes use of an action research approach using a qualitative single case study to investigate communication barriers and pitfalls in business transition. Findings: Through action research, interventions were taken in the underlying case, which increased the consciousness, as well as the personal and social competencies of the business family. Thus, business families stuck in ambivalent entanglement understand their underlying motives and needs within the change process, get into closer contact with their emotional barriers and communication hindrances, which is a prerequisite for any change, and break the succession iceberg phenomenon. Research limitations/implications: Future research should undertake multiple case studies to validate and/or modify the qualitative methods used in this action research to increase the validity and generalizability of the findings. Practical implications: Given the large number of business families in transition, our study shows the beneficial effects action research might have on business families’ communication behavior along a change process. The findings might help other business families to understand the value of action research for such underlying challenges and decrease communication barriers. Originality/value: This is one of the few studies to have addressed intergenerational communication of business families using an action research approach.