In the Founder's Shadow: Conflict in the Family Firm

1999 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 311-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter S. Davis ◽  
Paula D. Harveston
Keyword(s):  
Family Business ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Telephone Survey ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Independent Variables ◽  
The Family ◽  
Nonlinear Trends ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Two Independent Variables

This paper examines the extent to which conflict across generations of family firms is due to the effects of two independent variables—generation and generational shadow. The presence of a generational shadow was indicated by whether either or both of the parents continued to influence the company once the next generation assumed control. Hypotheses predicted nonlinear trends in conflict and interactions between generation and generational shadow. Using data from a national telephone survey of over 1,000 family business owners, the results of an ANOVA test confirmed that the presence of generational shadow, in particular, that of the founder, increases organizational conflict.

“We are a family firm”

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Binz Astrachan ◽  
Isabel C. Botero
Keyword(s):  
Family Business ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Family Firm ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Public Companies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Building ◽  
Depth Interview ◽  
The Family ◽  
Family Associations

Purpose Evidence suggests that some stakeholders perceive family firms as more trustworthy, responsible, and customer-oriented than public companies. To capitalize on these positive perceptions, owning families can use references about their family nature in their organizational branding and marketing efforts. However, not all family firms actively communicate their family business brand. With this in mind, the purpose of this paper is to investigate why family firms decide to promote their “family business brand” in their communication efforts toward different stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach Data for this study were collected using an in-depth interview approach from 11 Swiss and German family business owners. Interviews were transcribed and coded to identify different themes that help explain the different motives and constraints that drive their decisions to promote the “family business brand.” Findings The analyses indicate that promoting family associations in branding efforts is driven by both identity-related (i.e. pride, identification) and outcome-related (e.g. reputational advantages) motives. However, there are several constraints that may negatively affect the promotion of the family business brand in corporate communication efforts. Originality/value This paper is one of the first to explore why family businesses decide to communicate their “family business brand.” Building on the findings, the authors present a conceptual framework identifying the antecedents and possible consequences of promoting a family firm brand. This framework can help researchers and practitioners better understand how the family business nature of the brand can influence decisions about the company’s branding and marketing practices.

Successor Attributes in Indian and Canadian Family Firms: A Comparative Study

2000 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 313-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pramodita Sharma ◽  
A. Srinivas Rao
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Study ◽  
Family Business ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Family Firm ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Past Performance ◽  
Indian Context ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Firm Owners

This study replicates the Chrisman, Chua, Sharma 1998 Canadian study in the Indian context. Using data from 43 Indian family firms, this study compares the successor attributes that Indian and Canadian family business owners consider most important. Despite significant differences in norms and culture prevalent in these two countries, results of this comparative study indicate that both sets of family firm owners rate integrity and commitment to the business as the two most important attributes of a successor. However, compared to Canadian family firm owners, Indian owners rate blood and family relationships higher. Canadian respondents, on the other hand, rate interpersonal skills, past performance, and experience higher.

The Early Entrepreneurial Stage in Finnish Family and Nonfamily Firms

2000 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannu Littunen ◽  
Kimmo Hyrsky
Keyword(s):  
Family Business ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Strategic Choices ◽  
Business Services ◽  
Start Up ◽  
The Family ◽  
Unrealistic Expectations

This study examined factors influencing the survival and success of 200 Finnish family and nonfamily firms in the metal-based manufacturing industry and business services over the first three years of their operation. The features that this study reviewed include owner-manager personality attributes, entrepreneurial competence, and motives for the start-up. Strategic choices of the firms were also examined. The study found that family firms were better equipped to survive beyond the early entrepreneurial stage than were nonfamily businesses. The entrepreneurial abilities and resources of the family business owners enabled them to operate relatively successfully in the nearby market, often with one unique product. The family firms were more conscious of survival and family well-being than profitability or market position. A higher mortality rate was discovered among the nonfamily firms. Failed firms were often established with unrealistic expectations, and their performance deteriorated rapidly after their early success.

scholarly journals Family Routines and Next-Generation Engagement in Family Firms

2018 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 244-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trish Reay
Keyword(s):  
Family Business ◽  
Parental Support ◽  
Psychological Control ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Family Routines ◽  
The Family ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Perceived Parental Support ◽  
The Impact

By focusing on the impact of different types of family routines and how they change, this commentary builds on concepts regarding the influence of perceived parental support and psychological control on next-generation engagement in family firms. Drawing on the organizational routines literature and the family studies literature, I propose that attention to family routines, and how these routines change (or not) over time can reveal additional insights regarding next-generation engagement in the family business.

Emotional intelligence in family firms

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gonzalo Gómez Betancourt ◽  
Isabel C. Botero ◽  
Jose Bernardo Betancourt Ramirez ◽  
Maria Piedad López Vergara
Keyword(s):  
Family Business ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Family Firm ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Interpersonal Dynamics ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Family

Purpose – Although researchers have highlighted the importance of relational and family factors for the sustainability of a family firm, there is not much empirical research exploring how emotions and the management of emotions play a role in the interpersonal dynamics of family business owners. The purpose of this paper is to explore how the way family members manage their emotions affects the interpersonal dynamics in the family, business, and ownership subsystems of a family firm. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents an in-depth case study from a family firm in Colombia-South America. Findings – The results indicate that the capability that family members have to manage their emotions influences the interpersonal dynamics that take place in the family firm at the individual and group level. In this case, the paper found that although emotional intelligence (EI) affected interpersonal relationships in a firm, this effect was based on the individual's willingness to use their EI capabilities, previous history between people, and the goals individuals have within each subsystem in a family firm. The paper also found that interpersonal dynamics, in turn, influence how family members work together. Research limitations/implications – Because this study uses an in-depth case study, the intention of the paper is to provide an initial picture of how EI can play a role in the interpersonal interactions between family business owners. The authors hope that this study can be used as a building block to enhance the understanding of the role of EI in family firms. Practical implications – EI represents an individual's capability to perceive, understand, manage, and regulate self and other's emotions. For family firms, this means that family business owners can use this capability to determine how to enact their roles in the family firm and how to interact with other to ensure harmony in their relationships. Originality/value – This paper builds on previous work on emotions in family firms to explore the role of EI in family firms, and provides an empirical exploration of the role of management of emotions in family firms.

A Four Factor Model: A Guide to Planning Next Generation Involvement in the Family Firm

1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleni T. Stavrou
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Family Business ◽  
Decision Process ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Family Firm ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Level Of Involvement ◽  
The Family

The involvement of and the reasons for the involvement of offspring in their parents' firms can significantly affect the firm's future. In this paper, a conceptual model is presented that explains the decision process through which the most suitable level of involvement for the next generation in the firm may be assessed. The decision process involves four factors: family, business, personal, and market. These factors set the context for managing intergenerational transitions in family firms.

scholarly journals Managerial competences in family firms from the service and production sectors

VUZF Review ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 145-156
Author(s):  
Izabella Kęsy ◽  
Marcin Kęsy ◽  
Patrycja Ślusarczyk
Keyword(s):  
Family Business ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Family Businesses ◽  
Primary Study ◽  
Measurement Tool ◽  
The Family ◽  
Business Entities ◽  
High Level ◽  
Or Team

In each organization an important aspect is to maintain balance in terms of resources, processes and systems. Lack of relationship between the various components of the company affects the reduction of efficiency in organization, which in turn affects the effectiveness of action. However, it is also important to maintain effectiveness in the implementation of tasks at the strategic or operational level, and this is particularly influenced by the leader of the organization or team respectively. In the case of family businesses decision- making can be reduced to the leader, who makes decisions independently, without obtaining data or information from the environment. Such actions carry a high level of randomness, which in consequence affects the lowering of economic profitability of the company. In the publication, theoretical and empirical considerations were carried out, which served the authors of the publication, to a limited extent, in juxtaposing the paradigm of the family business functioning in the theory of the subject with the results of the primary study, which was carried out using two qualitative methods, interview and observation. For this purpose, the measurement tool, the interview questionnaire, was developed and the planes of cognitive analysis that was conducted in the studied business entities were identified. The study was conducted on 30 family businesses operating through Poland, the only criterion for qualification for the study was the fact that this was the opinion of the business owners, which is in accordance with the theory of family business proposed by Frishkoff according to which a family business is an enterprise in which the owner admits that it is a family business, i.e. in this case the most important thing is the awareness of being one of the occurring types of family business.

Making gender visible in family business: past and present

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paloma Fernández Pérez ◽  
Eleanor Hamilton
Keyword(s):  
Family Business ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Business Leadership ◽  
Legal Rules ◽  
Developed Economies ◽  
The Family ◽  
Interdisciplinary Synthesis ◽  
Complex Forms ◽  
Rules Of The Game

This  study  contributes  to  developing  our understanding of gender and family business. It draws on studies from the business history and management literatures and provides an interdisciplinary synthesis. It illuminates the role of women and their participation in the entrepreneurial practices of the family and the business. Leadership is introduced as a concept to examine the roles of women and men in family firms, arguing that concepts used  by  historians or economists like ownership and management have served to make women ‘invisible’, at least in western developed economies in which owners and managers have been historically due to legal rules  of  the  game  men,  and  minoritarily women. Finally, it explores gender relations and  the  notion  that  leadership  in  family business  may  take  complex  forms  crafte within constantly changing relationships.

The effects of goals attainment on CEO-owner satisfaction and the role of family involvement

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-127
Author(s):  
Ondřej Machek ◽  
Jiří Hnilica
Keyword(s):  
Family Involvement ◽  
Family Business ◽  
Firm Value ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Goals ◽  
Growth Increase ◽  
The Family ◽  
Owner Satisfaction

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how the satisfaction with economic and non-economic goals achievement is related to the overall satisfaction with the business of the CEO-owner, and whether family involvement moderates this relationship. Design/methodology/approach Based on a survey among 323 CEO-owners of family and non-family businesses operating in the Czech Republic, the authors employ the OLS hierarchical regression analysis and test the moderating effects of family involvement on the relationship between the satisfaction with different goals attainment and the overall satisfaction with the business. Findings The main finding is that family and non-family CEO-owner’s satisfaction does not differ significantly when economic goals (profit maximisation, sales growth, increase in market share or firm value) and firm-oriented non-economic goals (satisfaction of employees, corporate reputation) are being achieved; both classes of goals increase the overall satisfaction with the firm and the family involvement does not strengthen this relationship. However, when it comes to external non-economic goals related to the society or environment, there is a significant and positive moderating effect of family involvement. Originality/value The study contributes to the family business literature. First, to date, most of the studies focused on family business goals have been qualitative, thus not allowing for generalisation of findings. Second, there is a lack of evidence on the ways in which family firms integrate their financial and non-financial goals. Third, the authors contribute to the literature on the determinants of personal satisfaction with the business for CEOs, which has been the focus on a relatively scarce number of studies.

The innovation and internationalisation processes of family businesses

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vitor Braga ◽  
Aldina Correia ◽  
Alexandra Braga ◽  
Sofia Lemos
Keyword(s):  
Family Business ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Family Businesses ◽  
Family Management ◽  
Multivariate Statistic ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Innovation ◽  
The Family ◽  
Internationalisation Strategies ◽  
Innovation Processes

Purpose The success of the family firms cannot be detached from the current paradigm where, within the present economic conditions, economic agents struggle to exploit the existing opportunities and need to take into account the risks associated to the international arena and the innovation processes. The internationalisation and innovation processes may trigger resistance within family business due to their relatively higher difficulty to take risks and to invest in industries outside the scope of their original core business. Innovation and internationalisation processes become relevant strategies for the family firms’ continuity and success. In line with such fact, the aim of this paper is to contribute with insights regarding the processes of innovation and internationalisation within family businesses. In particular, this paper aims to assess the propensity of such firms to apply such strategies, to identify the particular business behaviour and to assess the extent to which the particulars of family firms may constraint or lead to the implementation of innovation policies, and thus its internationalisation. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected through questionnaires within family business aiming to understand the scope and characteristics of internationalisation and innovation processes within these firms. The 154 replies from such data collection were analysed using different multivariate statistic procedures, although this paper is based on factorial and correlation analysis. Findings The analysis of the results shows that there is an association between the processes of innovation and internationalisation within family business. In addition, the results also suggest a typology of firms regarding their innovation and internationalisation strategies and motivations. Research limitations/implications The results of this paper are, to some extent, limited because they did not allow comparing the findings with data from non-family business. However, the authors’ aim was not to distinguish family firms, but rather to characterise them. Practical implications This paper expects to contribute with lessons for the management of family business and to raise awareness of the constraints faced by family business. It is important to highlight that family business performance may be affected by a lower propensity to risk-taking attitudes, by the lack of non-family management and to the necessity of separating the family and the business in the business dimensions that the family limits the business growth. Originality/value Although there is a significant amount of the literature devoted to explore family business, innovation and internationalisation studies, very few draw on the relationship between internationalisation and innovation processes within family business. This paper explores such a relationship within a particular business context – the family dynamics that strongly affect management and business development.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document