Double Binds in Dialogue: Unraveling Paradoxical Communication in Business Families and Family Businesses

Business families navigate complex social systems, oscillating between conflicting logics and expectations. This often leads to double bind communication, resulting in paradoxes and tensions. This qualitative study seeks to understand how these paradoxes emerge by examining the expectation structures within business families through a social systems-theoretical lens. We explore (1) how families manage the clash of family and business logics in communication, (2) how in-depth interviews reveal origins of paradoxical communication, and (3) how communication patterns and sense-making processes are shaped by different systems logics. Our study offers insights into the intricate relationships and paradoxes faced by business families.