Values in family businesses owned by Chinese diaspora in Sarawak, Malaysia

Abstract

The case study aimed to describe the values in family businesses owned by Chinese diaspora in Sarawak, Malaysia. Interviews were conducted with founders and successors from 12 Chinese family businesses to identify the values. Of the 26 values identified, the most common values are trustworthiness, hard work and prioritising personal interest over family obligation. Prioritising personal interest over family obligation, discipline and being daring in business are new values which emerged in this study, and suggest a move away from traditional values. Apart from these, it seems that Chinese cultural values are largely maintained in this Malaysian Chinese diaspora despite the prolonged contact with host cultures and the Western educational background of successors. The study produced a framework for prevailing values in family businesses owned by Chinese diaspora in Malaysia which is firmly anchored to an established framework of Chinese cultural values.