Supporting Data for "Beyond Interests and Emotions: A Micro-Ethnography of Hierarchical Reciprocity in Family Firms"

How exactly do kin unfold, maintain, and dissolve cooperation in business? Deciphering this process is critical for elucidating the survival mechanisms of the family firm, a dominant economic configuration globally.Through a two-year micro-ethnographic study, this study traces the two-decade evolutionary trajectory of a typical Wenzhou family business, aiming to uncover the internal operational mechanisms of the "black box" of kinship within family firms. Challenging the traditional perspective that views kinship merely as a static asset or background variable, this study proposes a dynamic mechanism regarding the formation, maintenance, and dissolution of cooperation.This data statement provides a formal account of the empirical dataset underpinning a qualitative study of enterprise development, organisational management, and commercial activity within a family-owned manufacturing firm based in Guangdong, China. It describes the nature, purpose, collection methods, scope, and thematic coverage of the dataset, and sets out the reasons for which the data are not made publicly available.1. Data ContentThe dataset comprises 15 primary documents, organised into three categories:CategoryDescriptionStory DataNarrative accounts of the firm's development across four temporal stages (T0–T4), documenting key events, strategic turning points, and the actions of central figures at each phase of the organisation's history.Interview TranscriptsVerbatim transcripts of semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted with the firm's core management (including the chairman, the owner's wife , and the sales director ), frontline employees, external business partners , and family members. The category also includes a transcript of a speech delivered at the firm's twentieth anniversary.Ethnographic FieldnotesFieldnotes compiled by the researcher during an extended period of participant observation within the firm , recording workplace routines, meetings, informal conversations, and the researcher's own analytical reflections.All personal names appearing in the dataset have been replaced with pseudonyms following a consistent Pinyin-initial abbreviation convention to protect the identities of research participants. Relational titles used as role descriptors and commercial brand names have been retained where they do not directly identify individuals.2. Research PurposeThe dataset was collected to support an in-depth qualitative investigation into the organisational evolution of a traditional manufacturing enterprise navigating digital transformation and shifting market conditions. The specific research objectives are as follows:•To examine the strategic decision-making processes of the founding team and senior management at critical historical junctures in the firm's development.•To analyse how the internal power structures, interpersonal networks, and affective dynamics of a family business shape its day-to-day operations and long-term trajectory.•To explore the adaptive strategies and organisational resilience demonstrated by the firm in response to external disruptions, including the rise of e-commerce platforms and changing consumer demand.3. Data Collection MethodsThe dataset was generated through three complementary qualitative methods, employed in combination to enable triangulation and to ensure the richness and credibility of the empirical material:Semi-structured In-depth Interviews. The researcher conducted one-to-one interviews with participants using a pre-designed interview guide that allowed for flexible, open-ended exploration of topics. All interviews were audio-recorded with the informed consent of participants and subsequently transcribed in full.Participant Observation. The researcher was embedded within the firm over an extended fieldwork period, participating in daily work activities, internal meetings, and informal social interactions. Observations were recorded systematically in the form of detailed ethnographic fieldnotes, capturing both behavioural patterns and the broader organisational atmosphere.Narrative and Archival Collection. The researcher collected retrospective accounts of key events in the firm's history, including entrepreneurial narratives, milestone speeches, and story data compiled across multiple temporal stages. These materials provide a longitudinal perspective on the firm's development that complements the interview and observational data.4. Scope and ThemesThe dataset spans several decades of the firm's history, from its founding period through to its most recent phase of development, and encompasses both the Guangdong manufacturing context and the broader landscape of China's garment and textile industry. The core thematic areas covered include:•Entrepreneurial Origins and Early Capital Accumulation: The founding story of the chairman and the core team, the acquisition of initial capital, and the establishment of the factory.•Organisational Structure and Family Governance: The allocation of roles among family members, the construction of trust within the organisation, and the management of internal conflict.•Business Transformation and E-commerce Exploration: The firm's attempts to transition from traditional OEM export manufacturing towards independent branding and online retail platforms (including Amazon and 1688), including both the strategies pursued and the setbacks encountered.•Interpersonal Networks and Commercial Ecosystems: The firm's relationships with suppliers, clients, industry peers, and the local social networks embedded in Guangdong's garment industry clusters (including Humen and Dalang in Dongguan).5. Reasons for Non-DisclosureIn view of the sensitive nature of the materials contained within this dataset, the data are not made publicly available and are restricted to internal use by the research team for academic analysis purposes only. The principal reasons for this restriction are as follows:Protection of Personal Identity and Privacy. The dataset contains detailed accounts of participants' personal histories, family circumstances, emotional experiences, and private assessments of colleagues and business associates. Although all real names have been replaced with pseudonyms, the specificity of the events described, combined with identifiable contextual details such as geographic locations and industry settings, means that a residual risk of re-identification cannot be entirely eliminated. Public disclosure of the data would therefore constitute an unacceptable risk to the privacy of research participants.Sensitivity of Commercial Information. The interviews and fieldnotes contain information that is commercially sensitive in nature, including details pertaining to the firm's financial situation, client relationships, supply chain arrangements, internal management vulnerabilities, and undisclosed strategic plans. The release of such information could cause material harm to the commercial interests of the firm and the individuals associated with it.Research Ethics and Participant Trust. Participants shared their experiences and perspectives on the basis of a relationship of trust with the researcher and with the explicit understanding that the information provided would be treated with confidentiality. Public disclosure of the data would constitute a breach of the commitments made to participants at the outset of the research and would be inconsistent with the ethical standards governing qualitative research involving human subjects.