Longevity through emotional intelligence: a relationship marketing approach in family businesses

Purpose: This study aims to explore how emotional intelligence in members of family businesses can enhance their relationships with their stakeholders and whether adopting a relationship marketing approach could extend a family businesses' longevity, its success through generations.
Design/methodology/approach: A mixed method approach was adopted, and two studies (quantitative followed by qualitative) were conducted in Mexico on small to medium-sized enterprises. This study considers the perspective of owners and employers of family businesses.
Findings: The study provides important insights into the relationship between emotional intelligence and relationship marketing. Enhancing emotional intelligence in family members while conducting a relationship marketing approach, both internal and external, will result in better performance. Family businesses can alleviate conflicts inherent to family emotions while building and maintaining strong relationships with customers and suppliers that can secure the long-term success of the organisation by enhancing emotional intelligence.
Originality: Considering the majority of the literature is focused on highly developed economies such as the US, the UK and major developing economies such as China and India, this mixed method study offers Mexico as a novel setting that has become an important procurement hub in light of the recent global developments and international relationship policies.