Methodological Issues and Considerations in Studying Family Businesses

Handler, Wendy C.

doi:10.1111/j.1741-6248.1989.00257.x

Cited by 479 publications

(393 citation statements)

References 19 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

330

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The question is non-trivial in the context of family business research, and the approach chosen by a study will likely influence its results (Handler 1989;Astrachan and Shanker 1996;Kraus et al 2011). To define the term "family" in a value-neutral way, we have chosen to include all information on registered kinship available within Swedish administrative registers.…”

Section: Identifying Kinship and Defining The Familymentioning

confidence: 99%

The characteristics of family firms: exploiting information on ownership, kinship, and governance using total population data

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Family firms are often considered characteristically different from non-family firms. However, our understanding of family firms suffers from an inability to identify them in total population data; information is rarely available regarding owners, their kinship, and their involvement in firm governance. We present a method for identifying domiciled family firms using register data; this method offers greater accuracy than previous methods. We apply this method to Swedish data concerning firm ownership, governance, and kinship from 2004 to 2010. We find that the family firm is a significant organizational form, contributing over one third of all employment and gross domestic product (GDP). Family firms are common in most industries and range in size. Furthermore, we find that, compared to private non-family firms, family firms have fewer total assets, employment, and sales and carry higher solidity, although family firms are more profitable. These differences diminish with firm size. We conclude that the term "family firm" includes a large variety of firms, and we call for increased attention to their heterogeneity.

show abstract

Section: Identifying Kinship and Defining The Familymentioning

confidence: 99%

The characteristics of family firms: exploiting information on ownership, kinship, and governance using total population data

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…While the literature still lacks a clear definition of family-owned firms (Handler 1989;Winter, Fitzgerald, Heck, Haynes, & Danes, 1998), these Family-owned firms like to maintain family control (Litz, 1995), in the form of unique, inseparable, synergistic resources and capabilities (Habbershon, Williams, & MacMillan, 2003), thereby resulting in strategic decision making through family influences (Davis & Tagiuri, 1989, Chua, Chrisman, & Sharma, 1999.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Family-Owned Firms between Agency Conflicts and Stewardship: Corporate Governance Factors Driving Firm Performance

Siddik

Kabiraj

2016

J. Bus. Mgt. Res.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The performance of family-owned firms has been driven by factors relating to family ownership, family leadership, and external supervision. In this paper, we offer an empirical study investigating the effects of those corporate governance concerns. To serve the purpose, we conducted a survey on 121 Chinese family-owned firms over the period of 2012-2014. Using pooled ordinary least square technique we find that family leadership and external supervision significantly influence the firms' Return on Assets (ROA) and Return on Equity (ROE) whereas family ownership significantly influences ROA, but not ROE. Findings also indicate that firm size, total assets, and solidity have significant impact on ROA and ROE. Discussing our findings in light of stewardship and agency theories, we especially supplement stewardship theory due to the close alignment between owners and managers in family-owned firms.

show abstract

“…We prefer definitions that stress the family intentions to keep the ownership and the management in the family as well as the provision of employment and incomes for family members (Handler, 1989;Vadnjal, 2005). Chua, Chrisman and Sharma (1999) imply intention and vision of a particular company as a means of determining whether it can be defined as a family business.…”

Section: Relevant Concepts In Family Business Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Transgenerational Views on the Success and the Future Development of Family Firms in Slovenia

Škokić¹,

Visnar²,

Vadnjal³

2015

RES

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Family businesses represent 60-80% of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Slovenia and many of them are approaching the process of succession in the next 5-10 years. This process depends on the values of both founding and succeeding generations. The aim of our study is to investigate transgenerational differences in values, attitudes and behaviours of the founders and their successors (family memebrs). Our study has revealed quite a different structure of life-oriented values, while business-oriented values are similar among generations. Also, the attitudes towards different aspects of family and business are quite similar, although the succeeding generation expresses desire for more freedom in its decision to join the family business or not. While generally the transgenerational differences in values, attitudes and behaviors do not seem to hinder the succession process seriously, these differences have to be taken into account by family business advisors in order to properly structure the succession process to the benefit of all stakeholders.

show abstract

Methodological Issues and Considerations in Studying Family Businesses

Abstract: This paper examines five methodological issues critical to the development of family firms research, and discusses the potential contribution of each for both the theory and practice of family firms.

Cited by 479 publications

References 19 publications

The characteristics of family firms: exploiting information on ownership, kinship, and governance using total population data

The characteristics of family firms: exploiting information on ownership, kinship, and governance using total population data

Family-Owned Firms between Agency Conflicts and Stewardship: Corporate Governance Factors Driving Firm Performance

Transgenerational Views on the Success and the Future Development of Family Firms in Slovenia

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About