A Far-Reaching Parental Love? Co-Governance of Intergenerational Succession and Innovation Activities in Chinese Family Firms

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-37
Author(s):  
Zhenduo Zhu ◽  
Yuanfei Kang

ABSTRACT Motivated by the research gap on intergenerational succession dynamics of family firms, this study examines the effects of initiating intergenerational succession on firms' innovation activities. We propose that initiation of intra-family succession can result in founder–successor co-governance that represents a strategic transition to the succession and incorporates the two conflicting yet complementary directions of change and continuity. Grounded in the theory of altruism, we suggest that co-governance will positively affect firms' innovation activities and that this positive link is contingent on the idiosyncratic intra-family relationships of kinship type, age difference, and gender difference between the founder and the successor. Furthermore, we posit that co-governance will lead to a flow of resources to low risk, rather than more inventive but higher risk, innovations. Based on the unbalanced panel data of 4,694 firm-year observations in our sample from listed Chinese family firms during the 2006–2015 period, empirical analysis supports our hypotheses and confirms that when examining family firms' innovation, there is a need to take the heterogeneity of the intra-family governance structure more fully into consideration.

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 599-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Chen ◽  
Jakob Arnoldi ◽  
Chaohong Na

ABSTRACTLoan guarantees to related parties by affiliated subsidiaries within family controlled pyramids form a means by which the controlling family expropriates value from minority shareholders. The controlling family, however, will attempt to escape blame for the behavior. Using a sample of 1785 listed Chinese firms affiliated with family-controlled business groups, we explore how family governance structure affects the use of related party loan guarantees. As hypothesized, we find that affiliates with non-family chairmen, but with family directors or senior executives, issue larger volumes of loan guarantees to related parties, whereas affiliates with family chairmen and those with non-family interlocking chairmen do not. The behavior is moderated by regional institutional development.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-153
Author(s):  
Müge Çelik Örücü ◽  
Sühendan Er

The relationships that exist among brothers and sisters have been much less researched and observed than other kinds of family relationships. Thus, the impact of sibling dyads' gender and age difference on Turkish adolescents' communication satisfaction and trust was examined. The sample consisted of 272 (154 female, 118 male) Turkish high school students, all of whom were aged between 14 and 18 years and had 1 younger sibling. They were asked to complete the Sibling Communication Satisfaction Scale and the Dyadic Trust Scale. A significant gender difference was obtained for both trust and communication satisfaction, wherein females were more likely than males were to trust and be satisfied with their level of communication with their siblings, especially in the case of same-gender siblings. However, no significant result was found for age difference in terms of either trust or communication satisfaction.


Author(s):  
Wen Helena Li ◽  
Jin‐hui Luo ◽  
Marco De Sisto ◽  
Timothy Bartram

Author(s):  
Robert V Randolph ◽  
Hanqing ‘Chevy’ Fang ◽  
Esra Memili ◽  
Dilek Zamantili Nayir

This article will critically analyse the sources and the role of knowledge diversity in informing causation logics in family firms. Family firms rely on knowledge resources from both intra-family and extra-family sources, which may require different approaches to effectively manage. We argue that as family firms acquire greater knowledge diversity, family-centred effectuation processes become limited and they will increasingly rely on formal causation logics to coordinate these resources. However, we expect this relationship to differ when knowledge diversity is sourced from either family or non-family sources. Empirical analyses of 242 small- and medium-sized family firms indicate that knowledge diversity positively affects a firm’s reliance on causation logics, regardless of the source of that diversity. This suggests that the affinity of family firms to leverage effectuation logics may not be characteristic of family firms in general, but instead may be an artefact of firm reliance on knowledge capital concentrated in family owners.


Author(s):  
Tongmei Duan ◽  
Xun Chen ◽  
Jing Wu ◽  
Ronghai Li ◽  
Huijuan Guo ◽  
...  

Objective: Carbohydrate antigen 72-4 (CA72-4) is widely used in the diagnosis and monitoring of many cancers. However, there are few studies on the differences of CA72-4 levels in terms of age and gender. Methods: 10957 healthy subjects were divided into two groups according to gender and three age groups. The serum CA72-4 were detected. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS. Results: The CA72-4 level in female group was significantly higher than that in male group. The level of CA72-4 gradually decreased with age. Compared with the age >60 group, the CA72-4 levels were increased in the age 46-60 group and 16-45 group (P >0.05, respectively). To better observe the age difference, the age 16-45 and 46–60 group were combined into the age 16-60 group. In comparison to the age >60 group, the CA72-4 level of age 16-60 group was significantly increased (P =0.000). In the age >60 group, there was no difference between genders. Nevertheless, the difference between the sexes in the age 16-60 group was significant (P =0.023). Conclusions: The reference interval of CA72-4 for local healthy population was established. CA72-4 levels gradually decreased with the increase of age, and CA72-4 level in females aged 16-60 years (0-18.0 U/mL) was higher than in males (0-14.5 U/mL), however there was no gender difference in the age group above 60 years old (0-14.5 U/mL). Moreover, male CA72-4 was no significant difference among all age groups, while the potential mechanism of female changes with age needed further study.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Sophie K. Löhde ◽  
Giovanna Campopiano ◽  
Andrea Calabrò

PurposeChallenging the static view of family business governance, we propose a model of owner–manager relationships derived from the configurational analysis of managerial behavior and change in governance structure.Design/methodology/approachStemming from social exchange theory and building on the 4C model proposed by Miller and Le Breton-Miller (2005), we consider the evolving owner–manager relationship in four main configurations. On the one hand, we account for family businesses shifting from a generalized to a restricted exchange system, and vice versa, according to whether a family manager misbehaves in a stewardship-oriented governance structure or a nonfamily manager succeeds in building a trusting relationship in an agency-oriented governance structure. On the other hand, we consider that family firms will strengthen a generalized exchange system, rather than a restricted one, according to whether a family manager contributes to the stewardship-oriented culture in the business or a nonfamily manager proves to be driven by extrinsic rewards. Four scenarios are analyzed in terms of the managerial behavior and governance structure that characterize the phases of the relationship between owners and managers.FindingsVarious factors trigger managerial behavior, making the firm deviate from or further build on what is assumed by stewardship and agency theories (i.e. proorganizational versus opportunistic behavior, respectively), which determine the governance structure over time. Workplace deviance, asymmetric altruism and patriarchy on the one hand, and proorganizational behavior, relationship building and long-term commitment on the other, are found to determine how the manager behaves and thus characterize the owner's reactions in terms of governance mechanisms. This enables us to present a dynamic view of governance structures, which adapt to the actual attitudes and behaviors of employed managers.Research limitations/implicationsAs time is a relevant dimension affecting individual behavior and triggering change in an organization, one must consider family business governance as being dynamic in nature. Moreover, it is not family membership that determines the most appropriate governance structure but the owner–manager relationship that evolves over time, thus contributing to the 4C model.Originality/valueThe proposed model integrates social exchange theory and the 4C model to predict changes in governance structure, as summarized in the final framework we propose.


Author(s):  
Mário Franco ◽  
Patricia Piceti

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the family dynamics factors and gender roles influencing the functioning of copreneurial business practices, to propose a conceptual framework based on these factors/roles. Design/methodology/approach For this purpose, a qualitative approach was adopted, through the analysis of seven businesses created by copreneurial couples in an emerging economy – Brazil. Data were obtained from an open interview with each member of the selected couples who are in charge of firm management. Findings The empirical evidence obtained shows that the most important factors for successful copreneurial family businesses are professionalization, dividing the couple’s tasks and business management. Trust, communication, flexibility and common goals are other essential relational-based factors for the good functioning of this type of family business and stability in the personal relationship. Practical implications It is clear that professionalization and the separation of positions and functions are fundamental for a balance between business management and the couple’s marital life. When couples are in harmony and considering factors such as trust, communication and flexibility (relational-based factors), the firm’s life-cycle and business success become real and more effective. Originality/value From the family dynamics factors and gender roles, this study focused on one of the most important and integrated family firm relationships, copreneurial couples. As there is little research on the heterogeneity of family firms runs specifically by copreneurial couples, this study is particularly important and innovative in the context of a developing economy, such as Brazil. Based on empirical evidence, this study was proposed an integrative and holistic framework that shows the functioning of copreneurial businesses practices.


2014 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 410-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inmaculada Carrasco

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to contribute to knowledge on innovation from a gender perspective, and to investigate how environment affects the process of innovation by women. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical study uses a Structural Equations Model of a Partial Least Squared (PLS) technique. Data of 40 countries from around the world were collected from 2008. Findings – Institutional environment matters for innovative activity by women. An innovative thinking is required for integrating the gender perspective in innovative milieus in order to enrich, diversify and promote stronger innovation activities, mobilising unexploited opportunities for managers in the business sector, and for policy makers in the public one. Research limitations/implications – A new sex-disaggregated dataset will allow us to enlarge and improve upon this study. A longitudinal study would be extremely useful, but for the moment, there are no available data of this kind. Practical implications – Policies designed to reduce the gap for women in innovation activities have to fight against gender segregation in the job market and gender differences in education and training. They must increase flexibility in the workplace, provide more help to conciliate family and working lives, and reduce the gap in family responsibilities taken on by women. Originality/value – This paper contributes to the cross-over of knowledge between innovation and gender, and reduces the lack of information on how external factors may impact innovative behaviour by gender.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document