The SYMLOG system was used to collect and assess the data. SYMLOG is a system designed for the study of groups (Bales and Cohen, 1979, p. xiii).
The study of the effects of values on behavioral outcomes in groups (such as business organizations) is based in social psychology. The theories underlying these relationships are related to cognition, communication, and the social integration of individuals into systems. The SYMLOG system was used to assess these relationship in family owned business organizations. The theory underlying the relevant concepts of social psychology and the SYMLOG system are addressed in the discussions that follow.
Relevant Social Psychological Theory
Cognitive theory is based on organization and adaptation (Turner and Helms, 1991, p. 26). Organization in the context of cognitive theory refers to an ability to order and classify new experiences, while adaptation enables an individual to understand the surroundi
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