39 research outputs found

    What does really matter in the internationalization of small and medium-sized family businesses?

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    During the last decades considerable academic attention has been given to the internationalization of family businesses, as it is often considered a way to revitalize both the family and the business. Despite this increasing attention, the debate on its drivers, challenges and constraints is still inconclusive. The aim of this study is to explore whether incoming generations’ involvement impact the decision to exploit and explore international opportunities and to what extent altruism and competence-based trust mediate that relationship. Three propositions are formulated drawing from international entrepreneurship literature and stewardship theory. To validate this framework, a multiple case study on four Italian family firms has been conducted. The main findings suggest that timing, scope and internationalization modes change in relation to specific family firms’ features. When “epochal” changes (e.g. incoming generation) suddenly break down they contribute positively to the exploration and exploitation of international entrepreneurial activities. Moreover, the existence of interpersonal ties based on altruism and competence-based trust between senior and incoming generations mitigates this relationship

    Whistleblowing: When do employees act to ‘blow the whistle’?

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    The importance of eliminating fraud, illegal activities and generally unethical practices has always been of paramount significance in the corporate world. Thus, whistleblowing has become ever more important. Over the past years, organizations have adopted certain practices in order to encourage a greater number of employees to report misconducts; it would therefore be intriguing to anticipate whether there is any gender association with whistleblowing. This research illustrates the differences in gender by highlighting the reasons that could exist behind these assumptions. Particularly, the purpose of this paper is to afford insights into whistleblowing in medium to large organizations, and to determine whether there are any differences in how whistleblowing manifests. Particularly, we analyze how gender differences might affect an individual’s decision to ‘blow the whistle’, with a focus on under what circumstances employees may feel the need to act accordingly. Our findings show that women are more likely to whistleblow than men based on their character traits of emotional, fair and caring. However, results also prove that both genders are aware that whistleblowing is sometimes necessary thus supporting that they should do it. Limited prior literature combining gender and whistleblowing reflects the originality of this research and how future research can build on these findings

    Founder succession and firm performance in the luxury industry

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    Top management succession may be a real threat to the long-term profitability of companies, in particular when it involves the founder whose name also identifies their brand and their products. This is extremely important in the luxury sector where loyalty, trust and the image of brands in consumers' minds may be affected by the succession process, especially when the founder has no direct heir to ensure continuity of the family firm. Through an analysis of three case studies, as well as a questionnaire distributed to active consumers of luxury products, this study aims to understand whether and how a brand can successfully survive after the death of its founder and whether the purchasing behaviour of customers changes after a founder succession takes place. Our findings reveal that the lack of a clear and structured succession plan may significantly threaten the survival of companies. In addition, our evidence indicates that the purchasing intention of luxury consumers is linked more to the bond and the values that they share with the founder than to the quality of the goods purchased. Accordingly, our results provide insights and suggestions concerning the optimal approach to follow when companies with heirless founders are planning a succession and highlights that the success and the survival of such entities is linked to consumers' perceptions of the extent to which there are continuity and alignment between the values of the founder and those of their successors

    A multi-voiced account of family entrepreneuring research: expanding the agenda of family entrepreneurship

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    Purpose This conceptual, multi-voiced paper aims to collectively explore and theorize family entrepreneuring, which is a research stream dedicated to investigating the emergence and becoming of entrepreneurial phenomena in business families and family firms. Design/methodology/approach Because of the novelty of this research stream, the authors asked 20 scholars in entrepreneurship and family business to reflect on topics, methods and issues that should be addressed to move this field forward. Findings Authors highlight key challenges and point to new research directions for understanding family entrepreneuring in relation to issues such as agency, processualism and context. Originality/value This study offers a compilation of multiple perspectives and leverage recent developments in the fields of entrepreneurship and family business to advance research on family entrepreneuring

    A multi-voiced account of family entrepreneuring research : expanding the agenda of family entrepreneurship

    Get PDF
    Purpose This conceptual, multi-voiced paper aims to collectively explore and theorize family entrepreneuring, which is a research stream dedicated to investigating the emergence and becoming of entrepreneurial phenomena in business families and family firms. Design/methodology/approach Because of the novelty of this research stream, the authors asked 20 scholars in entrepreneurship and family business to reflect on topics, methods and issues that should be addressed to move this field forward. Findings Authors highlight key challenges and point to new research directions for understanding family entrepreneuring in relation to issues such as agency, processualism and context. Originality/value This study offers a compilation of multiple perspectives and leverage recent developments in the fields of entrepreneurship and family business to advance research on family entrepreneuring

    Do boards of directors foster strategic change? A dynamic managerial capabilities perspective

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    The purpose of this study is to understand the dynamic relationships between managerial human capital, dynamic managerial capabilities and strategic change within boards of directors. Building on the dynamic managerial capabilities perspective and upper echelons theory, we theorize and investigate the impact of managerial human capital on strategic change as well as the mediating role of boards’ sensing, seizing and reconfiguring abilities, defined as dynamic managerial capabilities. The hypotheses are tested on a sample of 606 Norwegian firms. The main findings suggest that while managerial human capital positively impacts strategic change, boards’ sensing and seizing abilities (not reconfiguring) positively mediate the relationship between human capital and strategic change. Implications for theory and practice are discussed

    TMT Involvement in Family Firm’s Growth-Related Strategic Decision-Making: A Dynamic Capability Perspective

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    Drawing on the dynamic capabilities perspective we examine the relationship between top management team’s (TMT’s) involvement in strategic decision-making and family firm growth. Additionally, we posit that this relationship varies by firm’s prioritized growth mode, internal dynamism and environmental dynamism. Data from 357 German family firms suggest that family firms with highly involved TMTs are less likely to grow in contexts of high internal dynamism, whereas growth benefits from highly involved TMTs in context of environmental dynamism.En nous inspirant de la dynamic capabilities perspective, nous examinons la relation entre l’implication de l’équipe de direction dans la prise de décision stratégique et la croissance de l’entreprise familiale. De plus, nous postulons que cette relation varie selon le mode de croissance prioritaire de l’entreprise, le dynamisme interne et le dynamisme environnemental. Les données de 357 entreprises familiales allemandes suggèrent que les entreprises familiales avec des TMT fortement impliquées sont moins susceptibles de se développer dans des contextes de dynamisme interne élevé, alors que la croissance bénéficie de TMT fortement impliquées dans un contexte de dynamisme environnemental.Basándonos en la perspectiva de las capacidades dinámicas, en este artículo examinamos la relación entre la participación de los equipos de alta dirección en la toma de decisiones y en el crecimiento de las empresas familiares. Además, argumentamos que esta relación varía según el modo de crecimiento priorizado de la empresa, el dinamismo interno y el dinamismo del entorno. Usando datos de 357 empresas familiares alemanas, nuestros resultados sugieren que las empresas familiares con equipos de alta dirección altamente involucrados tienen menos probabilidades de crecer en contextos de alto dinamismo interno, mientras que, en entornos dinámicos, las empresas familiares se benefician de una participación alta de los equipos de alta dirección

    Påvirker kvinner i styrer bedriftens innovasjonsevne?

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    Versjon: Forlagets publiserte artikkel (pdf). Også tilgjengelig på www.magma.no (annet format)Artikkelen tar for seg hvorvidt og i hvilken grad kvinner i styrer påvirker bedriftens innovasjonsevne. Ut fra teorier om gruppeproduktivitet antar man at kvinners faktiske bidrag i styrer avhenger av styrets beslutningskultur. I teorien vil beslutningskulturen i styrer ses på som en mellomliggende faktor mellom andelen kvinner i styret og bedriftens innovasjonsevne. Vi har testet våre hypoteser på et utvalg på 341 norske mellomstore bedrifter. Funnene indikerer at en vurdering av styrekvinner kan ha en innflytelse på bedriftens innovasjonsevne gjennom styrets beslutningskultur. Dette gir interessante innspill til praktisk handling og fremtidige forskningsprosjekter
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