Building Trust and Organisation-Based Self-Esteem through Organisational Care During a Crisis: Evidence from an Exemplar Family Firm

******************************************************************
The abstract was published under a different title than outlined in the Conference Program.
Abstract Title:
"Pillars or platitudes? Corporate values stress-tested during a pandemic: evidence of organisational care from an exemplar family firm"

******************************************************************
The purpose of this paper is to better understand (a) what types of organisational care initiatives family firms apply during a crisis and (b) how organisational care interacts with the psychological contract and employee trust. To address this issue, we conduct a single case study as part of a longitudinal action research project with a large Australian family firm. The family business was founded on the corporate values of honesty, integrity, quality, passion, vision, and caring. Therefore, we expected to see exemplary evidence of these values enacted as organisational care during the pandemic. Using grounded theory, we interviewed (a) family members, as well as (b) non-family members at top and middle management positions across different organisational departments and (c) their respective employees (n=16). Based on our qualitative findings that confirm a range of organisational care initiatives we propose a conceptual model and propositions.