A Theoretical Approach Exploring Knowledge Transmission Across Generations in Family SMEs

This paper explores, by adopting a theoretical approach, if and how the knowledge sharing process between the generations involved in business succession is actually accomplished. This paper also highlights the negative consequences of overlooking knowledge sharing process. In spite of existing previous empirical findings, this paper suggests that small firm dimensions and everyday side-by-side working activities do not ensure effective knowledge sharing processes. Finally, this paper also provides insights in order to shift from the 'how' of the knowledge sharing process to the 'why' this process fails, suggesting both cognitive and cultural explanations.

Responding to Business Succession Issues and Crises by Converting to Cooperatives

Most of Canada’s 1.2 million small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been affected by the pandemic, compounding serious issues facing Canada’s economy, including the potential for large-scale business closures due to the growing number of retirement-aged owners without a formal succession plan. One social economy option in Canada to save businesses and the jobs they provide is to sell them to employees or community members and convert them to cooperatives. The Conversion to Co-operatives Project set out to better understand business conversion to cooperatives (BCCs) in Canada and help the country’s co-op movement build BCC capacity. This article outlines the project’s key findings to date. RÉSUMÉ La pandémie a entraîné des conséquences sur la plupart des 1,2 millions de petites et moyennes entreprises au Canada, aggravant de sérieux problèmes pour l’économie du pays, y compris la possibilité de fermetures d’entreprises à grande échelle causées par le nombre croissant de propriétaires au seuil de la retraite qui n’ont aucun plan de relève. Au Canada, une option provenant de l’économie sociale pour sauver les entreprises et les emplois qu’elles fournissent serait de les vendre à des employés ou à des membres de la communauté et de les convertir en coopératives. Le Projet de conversion en coopératives a cherché à mieux comprendre la conversion d’entreprise en coopérative (CEC) au Canada et à aider le mouvement coopératif du pays à accroître la capacité en CEC. Cet article présente les données clés du projet à ce jour.

Perceived Parental Care and Next-Generation Family Members’ Succession Intentions: The Sequential-Mediating Role of General Self-Efficacy and Perceived Person-Job Fit

ABSTRACT Whereas the existing literature on the relationship between parental behavior and family business succession mainly focuses on parental behavior in the business domain, we highlight the importance of parental behavior in the family domain. Integrating attachment theory, the family business succession literature, and person-job fit literature, our study proposes a theoretical framework hypothesizing that general self-efficacy and perceived person-job fit mediate the association between perceived parental care (an underrepresented family-domain-specific parental behavior) and next-generation family members’ succession intentions. This framework is tested by data from two surveys and further verified by qualitative interviews of next-generation family members. Multivariate analysis results suggest that next-generation family members’ general self-efficacy and perceived person-job fit played a sequential-mediating role in the relationship between perceived parental care and next-generation family members’ succession intentions. Our interviews not only confirm these results but also reveal new insights, particularly into the specific Chinese context in the study of family business succession.

Taking the Notion of Family in Different Cultures Seriously: How Does the Cultural Context Affect Family Business Succession?

Taking the Notion of Family in Different Cultures Seriously: How Does the Cultural Context Affect Family Business Succession?

“Over My Dead Body”: Wives’ Influence in Family Business Succession

The family business literature barely addresses wives’ influence in family business succession. Where it does so, the result is often tokenistic, stereotypical, and imprecise. Drawing on 34 in-depth interviews, this article makes three contributions. First, it identifies wives’ critical influence in family business succession through socialization across the life span of the family business; specifically, through normative, interactive, and experiential socialization. Second, it demonstrates the diverse dynamics and impact of wives’ influence on family business continuity. Third, it highlights the particular significance of experiential socialization, whereby changing expectations of marriage and family life have amplified wives’ influence in succession outcomes.

Successful family business succession: Utilizing peer groups for critical leadership skills development

Purpose The current study explores the necessary leadership skills required for leadership succession in family businesses as well as best development activities for each skill. The current study provides suggestions for best practices in developing and utilizing peer groups as a leadership development method. Design/methodology/approach A needs assessment was conducted by surveying 150 family-business leaders. Leaders were asked, “What are your most pressing leadership development needs for your organization as you move toward succession? A follow-up question was then asked: “For each of these skills, what method would best help develop this skill for family business leaders?” The responses were content analyzed, placed into themes, and rank ordered. Findings High agreement amongst business leaders was found as eight leadership skills were cited by high percentages of family-business leaders. Leaders overwhelmingly reported peer developmental activities as being the best method for developing these skills. Originality/value Succession planning in family-businesses is critical as many family business fail to make it past the first or second generation. However, little research explores what specific leadership skills are necessary for optimal succession. As well, many leaders in public organizations seek individual methods of development, such as executive coaching, whereas family business leaders seek group activities to learn with/through their peers.