Dynamics of Change: A Comparative Analysis of Commitment in Family vs. Non-Family Businesses

The challenge of insufficient employee commitment to organizational change significantly impedes management's ability to successfully implement new strategies, a hurdle notably pronounced in family businesses due to a strong adherence to tradition. This study investigates the impact of psychological ownership and effective internal communication-or communication satisfaction-on bolstering commitment to change. This research will suggest propositions to test subsequently with statistical analysis after the collection and analysis of 501 employees’ interviews across Italian family and non-family businesses. Our propositions are built on the roots of psychological ownership, and commitment to change. The study also explains how the dynamics between communication, psychological ownership, and commitment vary between family and non-family businesses. This will underscore the critical role of fostering psychological ownership and communication satisfaction in enhancing employee commitment to organizational change initiatives.