Conflict Management in Family Businesses: Exploring the African Context

While existing literature addresses both conflict management and family businesses, the majority of studies treat these constructs independently, with limited attention to the African context. This paper examines the current state of research with respect to geographical focus and methodological approaches, and further explores the specific causes of conflict and management strategies within African family businesses. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study first conducts a comprehensive literature review to map prevailing research trends, followed by qualitative inquiry through semi-structured face-to-face and phone interviews with 11 African family business owners. The findings reveal a predominant focus on European and North American contexts, with conceptual/theoretical frameworks and quantitative methodologies being the most commonly employed. In the African context, four key sources of conflict are identified: financial information asymmetry, non-inclusive management practices, ill-defined roles, and complex family structures. Additionally, four primary conflict management approaches are highlighted: family meetings, traditional mechanisms, religious practices, and legal interventions.