Socioemotional wealth and employee perceptions in family firms: the role of organizational culture and resistance to change

Purpose This study examines how socioemotional wealth (SEW) shapes employees' perceptions of organizational culture, resistance to change, and self-perceived performance in small and medium-sized family and non-family firms, adopting a micro-foundational perspective that positions SEW as an interpretive logic embedded in organizational contexts. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on SEW theory and the Competing Values Framework (CVF), the study conceptualizes SEW as reflected in organizational meaning systems rather than as a directly measured construct. Survey data were collected from 178 employees in Portuguese SMEs. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), independent samples t-tests, and hierarchical regression analyses were used to compare family and non-family firms and to assess the independent effects of organizational culture and resistance to change on self-perceived performance. Findings Family firms exhibit stronger Support (Clan) and Rules (Hierarchy) cultural orientations, whereas non-family firms emphasize Innovation (Adhocracy) and Goals (Market). Employees in family firms report significantly higher resistance to change. However, no significant differences are found in self-perceived performance between the two groups. Within family firms, resistance to change is negatively associated with performance perceptions, while supportive and innovative cultural orientations are positively related to perceived performance. These results support a dual-pathway model in which organizational culture and resistance to change operate as parallel mechanisms shaping employee perceptions. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported data limit causal inference and raise potential concerns regarding common method variance. Future research should adopt longitudinal and multi-source approaches and explore additional micro-level mechanisms through which SEW influences employee outcomes. Practical implications The findings highlight that while SEW-driven cultures foster cohesion and stability, they may also increase resistance to change. Managers in family firms should align change initiatives with socioemotional priorities and promote cultural environments that balance relational cohesion with adaptability to sustain positive employee performance perceptions. Originality/value This study contributes to the family business literature by extending SEW theory to the employee level and by demonstrating that family firm distinctiveness is primarily reflected in interpretive mechanisms, organizational culture and resistance to change, rather than in performance outcomes. It offers an integrated framework linking SEW, culture, and employee perceptions of effectiveness.