Purpose – This paper aims to contribute towards a better understanding of the partner selection process, which anticipates a successful co-opetition partnership. Co-opetition partnerships refer to developing cooperation efforts between competitors. The scarcity of studies conducted in this field to date provides limited contribution for the understanding of the partner selection process in this, particularly, paradoxical concept. Design/methodology/approach – This study follows a methodology based on systematic combining for the qualitative analysis of four cases of domestic co-opetition in Portugal. A sample range of eight companies was selected for a series of semi-structured interviews. Testimonials were transcribed and data coded for content analysis. Findings – Results indicate that prior personal relationships between decision-makers are facilitators for the implementation of cooperation partnerships with competitors. Based on these findings, this paper proposes a three-step model to explain the process of partner selection for co-opetition partnerships. According to this model, after opting to commence a new coopetitive business alliance, the manager undergoes a first unconscious selection based on his/her own prior personal relationships, followed by a conscious and judicious selection based on specific criteria related to partner’s operational skills, resources, effectiveness and trust. Research limitations/implications – Given that the sample is entirely formed by companies from one single country, further research would benefit from the inclusion of other countries expressing different business contexts and cultural environments. Originality/value – The value of paper derives from the comprehensive realization of partner selection for domestic co-opetition as fundamentally a network-related process.

Purpose Although the concepts of family business, internationalization, and agency theory have received some attention in the relevant literature, these concepts and theories have been used independently. The purpose of this paper is to help close the gap between what is known and what needs to be known about the decision-making processes of internationalization of family managers (FM) and non-family managers (NFMs). Design/methodology/approach The paper analyzes the story of Busscar, a Brazilian firm that began internationalization under an FM and ended it under an NFM. The management transition took place suddenly, as the family CEO died in a tragic accident, and the company appointed an NFM to replace him virtually overnight. These circumstances, as well as the fact that Busscar accelerated its internationalization process after the transition only to go bankrupt a few years later makes this case critical. Findings The paper concludes that under NFMs, the speed and scope of the firm internationalization processes were accelerated and the financial risks were augmented, which is in line with the agency theory hypothesis and contradicts suggestions that NFMs tend to be more structured. Research limitations/implications Many researchers argue that it is important to professionalize the management of family firms. It is expected that an NFM leads to a more structured strategy. The study shows otherwise; changing the manager leads to opportunistic internationalization using emerging strategies rather than deliberate ones. Originality/value This study suggests that firms, networks, entrepreneurship, and ownership are not the only important variables. Manager origin (inside or outside the family) can change everything.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the successor's perceptions of the major objective and subjective factors as well as networks that facilitate or inhibit the process of internationalisation of entrepreneurial family firms. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a qualitative methodological approach, the current study relies on case study evidence from a sample of six mature entrepreneurial family firms operating in different sectors. Findings – Relying on data collected, this study found that the perception of foreign market opportunities; international vision; successor's proactivity; innovative spirit and specific technical knowledge are relevant variables that initiate the process of internationalisation of a family firm within the context of (post-) succession. By contrast, the study did not find high evidence of the importance of speaking a foreign language and educational background. The study also confirmed that a disrupted process, such as succession, may re-position a mature domestic family firm in international markets. Research limitations/implications – A major limitation of this study relates to the sample size. Interpretation of these findings and their generalisation should therefore, be made with caution. In terms of future recommendations, an area that deserves particular attention relates to the development and transfer of social capital within family firms. Originality/value – This study attempts to fill a gap in the literature, and it particularly tries to understand the successors’ perceptions regarding interrelationships between succession and internationalisation. The findings provide valuable insights for policy makers and managers.

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