Sadism, Heterotopia, and Entrepreneurship: The Role of the “Family” in Family Business

Abstract

The Marquis de Sade wrote that people behave differently in separate spaces and that, in different environments, they more easily reveal their true predilections. Throughout de Sade's writings, he reveals ways that hidden rooms, closets, castles, brothels, and monasteries can be used as spaces to unleash inner evil. Conveyed within de Sade's writings are ways in which characters actively change their settings in order to create these heterotopias – or spaces that are separate from normal routines. The role that separate spaces play in maintaining alternative behaviors has not been adequately examined in either de Sade's writings or in heterotopia literature. The purpose of this chapter is to explore the inner workings of a heterotopia frozen in time and space – a small town family business. This query merits exploration because the incestuous, atemporal behaviors that de Sade enacted can manifest themselves in family businesses. To examine this facet of family business, a customized methodology will be introduced – the Sadean duography. This manuscript is beneficial to practitioners in family businesses who seek to understand the hazards of inherting or purchasing new businesses, and to scholars in entrepreneurship and organizational studies seeking a deeper understanding of the role of heterotopias, also known as third spaces.

Citation

Pelly, R.D.M. and Roberson, M. (2022), "Sadism, Heterotopia, and Entrepreneurship: The Role of the “Family” in Family Business", Montiel Méndez, O.J., Tomaselli, S. and Maciel, A.S. (Ed.) Family Business Debates, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 283-307. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80117-666-820221015