Building aware and unaware consumers’ trust towards family business: Evidence from Poland

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the article is to examine what attributes are assigned to family firms by consumers familiar and not familiar with family business in the context of trust-building and purchase intention.

Research Design & Methods: A nationwide quantitative survey on a statistically representative random-cluster sample of 1 091 consumers was conducted in 2018, based on the fundamentals of pre-survey qualitative research.

Findings: This study proves a low level of consumers’ familiarity with family firms and indicates attributes assigned to family firms by two segments of buyers. The findings show for which segments the concept of endorsed identity could be influential in the purchasing process, and for which might it be a subordinate stimulus when compared to consumers’ trust.

Implications & Recommendations: Although a family firm’s origin can serve as a cue to purchase, there is a challenge in educating the audience regarding the low level of consumers’ knowledge of family businesses. A legal construct provided in this study may reinforce trust towards family firms accompanied with purchase.

Contribution & Value Added: This study is based on a representative large sample of consumers, additionally divided into two portrayed segments. It proposes a process of how a family business identity may be endorsed. The proposed legal construct is a novelty in the market and has not been investigated in other scientific research.

Keywords

family business; consumers; trust, purchase; endorsed identity

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