This article explores the characteristics of Lebanese family businesses using a sample of 114 firms and tests various propositions regarding the relationships between correlates of effective succession planning and longevity. Successful family businesses in Lebanon exhibit a variety of responses to the variables that are conducive to success. The findings indicate that older firms are more inclined to use a participatory decision‐making process, as evidenced by more reliance on advisory boards. A significantly larger proportion of older firms relative to younger ones holds family meetings and has formal redemption and liquidity plans. Firms in our sample are characterized by liberal attitudes: more than 75% consider female ownership acceptable and more than two‐thirds of the firms respond positively to potential female CEOs.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to, first, investigate the differences between generations in family businesses and, second, develop and verify the Family Business Success Model ability to improve the probability of business success measured by perceived profits, growth and meeting the owners’ expectations. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through questionnaires and personal interviews. Overall, 98 usable questionnaires were collected for statistical analysis with a response rate of 82 percent. Findings One-way ANOVA hypotheses testing of the variables found four significant differences between generations. Regression analysis found the Family Business Success Model to be significant. Family business owners can improve the probability of success by utilizing a team-management decision-making approach, effectively handling conflict effectively, formulating specific succession plans, developing strategic plans, using sophisticated financial management methods, dealing effectively with the founder’s influence and if they seek to grow, they should consider going public. Practical implications This study provides family business owners, managers, educators and public policy makers with the means to help family businesses survive and grow effectively throughout generations by using the Family Business Success Model. In addition, this study can help consultants and advisors of family businesses to understand the differences between the first, second and third generation family businesses from a holistic perspective and help them implement the family business model. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature as one of the few studies in the Lebanese emerging market that examines how the first, second and third generations of family businesses differ. More importantly, it develops a Family Business Success Model that improves the probability of success.

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Purpose-With the increasing awareness and recognition of the importance of corporate governance (CG), its practices and mechanisms along with their effect on performance and general organization's behavior have become of interest for many scholars. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between CG, with a focus on the board of directors (BOD) and the audit committee, and the level of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices toward health, refugees, community, and environment. Design/methodology/approach-Data were collected through a questionnaire distributed to 203 employees working at family-owned enterprises (FOE) in Lebanon. SmartPLS 3.0, statistical software for structural equation modeling, was used to analyze data. Findings-The results indicate that the audit committee component of CG has a significant positive impact on CSR dimension practices toward health, refugees, and community and environment. Furthermore, family members' engagement in the board of directors and decision making plays a moderating role on the relationship between the audit committee and CSR practices toward health, community, and environment, as well as the relationship between the BOD and CSR toward community and environment. Originality/value-The role of family members' engagement in the effectiveness of CG and CSR practices FOE is studied.

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to explore relationships between different governance configurations and firm survival. The objective is to describe the alternative mechanisms through which the owning family takes a stake in the governance of the firm. Design/methodology/approach -The governance systems of 116 family enterprises in Lebanon are examined. The study integrates family, ownership, leadership and the business itself constituting the four structural elements of a family firm's governance system. Then, the study tests four hypotheses whether the family, the ownership, the leadership and the business dimensions influence positively firm survival/longevity. The other hypotheses tested concern the advisory services and the legal form of the board, and how that might affect the survival/longevity of the family firm. Findings -This integrative view allows observation of interactions among the different structures, and the establishment of a coordinating governing structure. Hypotheses testing results show that family, leadership and business dimensions have an impact on the performance/survival of the firm, whereas the ownership dimension has no effect. Research limitations/implications -Limitations of this paper relate to the relatively small size of the sample, and the sampled firms are young and small according to international standards. The study also suffers from common method bias and external validity. Practical implications -The proposed framework allows the establishment of a governance structure, for control and co-ordination. Ownership should be integrally separated from the other dimensions in the governance of a family firm to be able to achieve fairly good performance and ensure the survival and longevity of the firm. Originality/value -No other studies have been conducted on Lebanon. Moreover, the study integrates the four governance mechanisms developed by Klein which was not done previously.