Parents’ learning mechanisms for family firm succession: an empirical analysis in Spain through the lens of the dynamic capabilities approach

Producción CientíficaSuccession is a concern for most family firms. The literature has addressed succession in family firms from different perspectives. However, there are still unaddressed questions concerning the microfoundations of succession, and there is a need to secure a better understanding of the succession process and what role parents play therein. Using the dynamic capabilities approach, we shed light on the influence of parents’ behaviors on successors’ intentions. In particular, the paper pursues a twofold aim; first, to analyze the effect of learning mechanisms that parents deliberately use with their children in the family firm on the succession dynamic capability; and second, to explore the impact of this dynamic capability of successor intention to continue in the family firm. We test the model on a sample of potential successors of family firms in Spain. Using partial least squares (PLS) for a sample of 9146 individuals, we confirm the positive impact of the use of parents’ deliberate learning mechanisms on succession dynamic capability and, in turn, the positive effect of the created succession dynamic capability on the successor’s intention to continue the family firm. Furthermore, we find that perceived self-efficacy fails to have any effect on successor intention.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad - (Proyect ECO2016-78128-P

Can we make family social capital flourish? The moderating role of generational involvement

Producción CientíficaThe special features displayed by family firms characterize and shape their family social capital and make them unique. The participation of both the family and the firm creates distinctive resources and capabilities in the family firm. As new generations arrive, opposing forces begin to shake the firm, and while some embrace change others expect the continuity of the family influence. Likewise, the influence of the family in the firm conditions its performance. In this study, we empirically address how family influence promotes the development of family social capital that, in turn, impacts on the organizational effectiveness of family firms. Furthermore, we observe the moderating role of generational involvement by considering generations an important source of heterogeneity in family firms. We test the hypotheses on a sample of Spanish family firms, analyzing the data using partial least squares (PLS). Results indicate that the family influence positively affects the development of family social capital and, therefore, the organizational effectiveness of the family firm. However, generational involvement can moderate both relationships in a negative way, by reducing the development and exploitation of the family social capital

Saber, Extender

Departamento de Organización de Empresas y Comercialización e Investigación de Mercado

Saber, Extender

Departamento de Organización de Empresas y Comercialización e Investigación de Mercado

La "familiaridad dinámica" de las empresas familiares. El caso del Grupo Yllera

This paper applies dynamic capabilities approach to the study of family businesses. We introduce the term ‘dynamic familiness’ to show the capability of family firms to create, extend, or modify their unique bundle of resources coming from the interaction between the family, the individuals and the firm. Our aim is to give empirical evidence about the process of generation and reconfiguration of the resources in the family firm. This process will allow the firm to evolutionary adapt and survive through the generations. To achieve this objective, we conduct a case study in Grupo Yllera, a representative firm of Spanish family firms.En este trabajo, aplicando la teoría de las capacidades dinámicas al estudio de la empresa familiar, introducimos el concepto de ‘familiaridad dinámica’ para poner en evidencia la capacidad de una empresa familiar para crear a propósito, prorrogar o modificar su conjunto único de recursos, derivados de la interacción entre la familia, sus miembros individuales y la empresa. Nuestro objetivo es aportar evidencia sobre cómo se produce la generación y reconfiguración de recursos en la empresa familiar que permite su adaptación evolutiva y supervivencia a lo largo de las generaciones. Para lograr el objetivo, aplicamos un estudio de caso al Grupo Yllera, una empresa representativa del colectivo de empresas familiares en España

Strategic management in family business. The missing concept of the familiness learning mechanism

Producción CientíficaPurpose –The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the roots of family firms’ competitive advantages by defining and testing the familiness learning mechanisms that emerge from the interaction between family and firm. Because family members are economically, emotionally and socially attached to the firm, family firms are expected to be able to develop unique and difficult to imitate learning mechanisms related to family firm value creation. Design/methodology/approach – This study operationalizes and tests the concept of the familiness learning mechanism using a sample of nonlisted Spanish family firms. The sample is analyzed using the structural equation modeling method. Findings – Results show that family firms’ ability to accumulate internal and external knowledge, integrate social knowledge, as well as create and retain socioemotional knowledge forms the concept of the familiness learning mechanism, and the authors show what implications it might have for family firm value creation. Originality/value – By using the dynamic capabilities approach, this article highlights the importance of the knowledge and learning derived from family involvement in the firm. The creation of learning mechanisms occurs because of the close relationships between family members and their simultaneous participation in the family and in the company systems, which creates a unique context wherein knowledge and learning emerge in an idiosyncratic mannerMinisterio de ciencia e Innovación español (Programa Estatal de Fomento de la Investigación científica y técnica de excelencia) (ECO2016-78128-P