How cousin marriage shapes businesses in Africa

On July 1st, EurekAlert had an article about cousin marriage:

Cousin marriage, defined in the study as the practice of marrying within a kinship group, has deep historical roots in many African ethnic communities. The tradition reinforces in-group identity and tightly knit social networks, which in turn influence how small businesses make decisions about hiring and growth.

The researchers found that firms operating in areas with a historical tradition of cousin marriage were more likely to use additional financial resources to hire relatives or in-group members, leading to greater employment increases but smaller gains in revenue. In contrast, firms in communities without such traditions tended to prioritize revenue growth and acted more individualistically in their business decisions.

“These findings suggest that family systems and social expectations play a significant role in shaping how informal entrepreneurs allocate resources,” said Zhang. “Even when cousin marriage is no longer widely practiced, its underlying norms—like the emphasis on supporting the in-group—can persist and continue to influence behavior.”

The study also explores how colonization altered these long-standing family norms. The authors found that British colonial rule, with its emphasis on individualistic legal and administrative structures, was associated with a weakening of the cousin marriage tradition in many areas. These changes, however, varied by region and were influenced by competing cultural forces, including Islamic and Christian missionary activity.