Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate and understand the dynamics of conflict that arise during the process of succession planning within family-owned businesses in South Africa and Nigeria. The study aims to investigate conflict management strategies employed during family business succession planning and to compare their effectiveness in facilitating smooth transitions. The study employed a qualitative research design to gain a comprehensive understanding of conflict management and family business succession planning in South Africa and Nigeria. The targeted population of the study included family business owners, potential successors, family members not directly involved in the business, external advisors, and consultants. The sample size was 30 participants from a diverse range of family businesses in both countries. Interviews were conducted with key stakeholders in family businesses to explore their experiences, perceptions, and challenges related to conflict management and succession planning. The study used snowball sampling and purposive sampling as its sampling technique to access respondents in South Africa and Nigeria. The interviews were recorded and transcribed, and thematic analysis was used to identify and categorise themes and patterns in the interview transcripts. Data was analysed using ATLAS.ti 9 software for the study. A comparative approach was used to examine similarities and differences in conflict management and succession planning practices between South Africa and Nigeria. The cross-sessional nature of the study’s provided the ability to establish causality between conflict management strategies and family business performance.
The findings from the research provided an insight to the effects of conflict management strategy in family business succession planning in the context of South Africa and Nigeria. The study established that the intersection of family dynamics and business operations poses significant challenges and opportunities for conflict management and family business succession planning. The findings highlight that successful conflict management and family business succession planning in the context which requires a delicate balance between cultural traditions, modern business strategies, and effective communication.
A framework on family business succession planning is presented as the main contribution of this study to the body of knowledge in the family business domain. The research findings offer practical insights and recommendations for family business owners, successors, and advisors in South
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Africa and Nigeria to effectively manage conflicts during the succession planning process. The research offers a comprehensive integrating conflict management and succession planning in family businesses within the unique socio-cultural and economic contexts of South Africa and Nigeria, ultimately the study aims to enhance the long-term sustainability and success of family businesses in these regions.