Modelling the knowledge transfer process between founder and successor in Vietnamese family businesses succession

Abstract

PurposeThe transfer of knowledge has been identified as an important part of the family business succession process. This paper examines the knowledge transfer process from the founder to the successor to understand and model the factors that influence the knowledge transfer process in the Vietnamese family business context.Design/methodology/approachThis research adopts an inductive qualitative approach, conducting face-to-face semi-structured interviews with five father-son succession pairs. The interviews with founders and successors, ten in total, formed the basis of five case studies. The cases were all at an advanced stage of the process of business knowledge transfer and family business succession.FindingsA contextualized model was developed, highlighting the main factors that influence the knowledge transfer process from the founder to the successor in a Vietnamese family business context. This model identifies the influence of factors, some of which are not commonly presented in western family business literature. These include the importance of the role of the mother in mediating the relationship quality between the founder and the successor and the successor pursuing education and external work experience to improve their cognitive and reflective abilities. The need for the affinity between family members is also highlighted as important.Originality/valueIn Vietnam, most family-run businesses are still under the control of the founder. This research provides insight into the succession process in Vietnam. This research addresses calls for further exploration into the factors that influence the transfer of knowledge in the family business succession process and to research this process in a collectivist society, both of which remain under-researched.

Youth Entrepreneurial Spirit In Family Business

“…This can be seen from the current parenting style of parents in Sanan, it can be seen that production activities involve their children, from raw soybeans to ready-to-sell the children of the family business owner, although some of their plots are only spectators. In line with Bell & Pham (2020) stated that the parenting style of the family business owner's parents has unconsciously shaped the child's perspective to continue the family business that his family has built. More in Kirkwood (2007) parents have an influence on the choice of a child's career to become an entrepreneur.…”

Keeping the wheels of the automotive industry turning: the use of tacit knowledge by product development workers in a multinational automotive manufacturer

“…To support the development of tacit knowledge-based socially-focused skills, the organization can encourage the development of social interaction and engagement between peers. Reflection can be encouraged and supported to help workers learn from experience through experiential learning and promote the development of tacit knowledge from personally obtained experience (Bell and Pham, 2020). Dabic and Kiessling (2019) have highlighted that effective knowledge management practices should enable employees to have the training and acumen to identify important knowledge.…”

Comparative analysis of knowledge transfer management models of business succession

“…Socialisation is primarily a process between individuals. The company's socialisation of tacit knowledge from collective experiences and mental models is disseminated through externalisation (Bell et al, 2020); Nonaka et al, 1998). It represents the articulation of own tacit knowledge of individual -ideas or images in words, metaphors, analogies.…”

“…These include the importance of the role of the mother in mediating the relationship quality between the founder and the successor and the successor pursuing education and external work experience to improve their cognitive and reflective abilities. The need for affinity between family members is also highlighted as necessary (Bell et al, 2020).…”