Abstract
This study aimed at investigating what specific dimensions of the repeated entrepreneurial succession processes can mostly affect the mode of transferring knowledge from one generation to another. Indeed we consider this latter as a critical variable in order to foster the longevity of family SMEs.
With respect to the prevailing literature, we rather propose to extend the state of knowledge on generational transition shifting attention to a number of entrepreneurial generations, for a better understanding of what originates the longevity of the analyzed firms.
We adopt a qualitative approach. A longitudinal analysis has been conducted on six exemplary cases of small-medium sized family firms which are over a hundred years old. They belong to the industrial sector and they are situated in central Italy.
In terms of theoretical contribution, our research contributed at enriching the conceptual framework that can be used when studying the dynamics of long-lived family SMEs.
References
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Aronoff C.E., Ward J.L., 2000, More than family: Non-family executives in the family business, Family Entreprise Publishers.
Bonti M., Cori E. 2011, “Organizational issues and capabilities dynamic among the Italian centenarian family SMEs: An empirical investigation”, Proceedings 11th Euram Conference, Tallin, June.
Bjuggren, P.O., Sund, L.G., 2001, “Strategic Decision Making in Intergenerational Successions of Small and Medium-Size Family-Owned Businesses”, Family Business Review, 14 (1).
Bjuggren, P.O., Sund, L.G., 2002, “A Transaction Cost Rationale for Transition of the Firm within the Family”, Small Business Economics, 14.
Cabrera-Suàrez K., De Saà-Pèrez P., Garcìa-Almeida D., 2001, “The succession process from a resource- and knowledge-based view of the family firm”, Family Business Review, 14 (1).
Cadieux L., 2005, “La succession dans les PME familiales: proposition d’un modèle de réussite du processus de désengagement du prédécesseur”, Revue Internationale du PME, 18 (3-4).
Cadieux L., 2007, “Succession in Small and Medium-Sized Family Businesses: Towards a Tipology of Predecessor Roles During and After Instatement of the Successor”, Family Business Review, 20 (2).
Cater J.J., 2006, “Long life in the family firm: an explanatory study of business and family success”, Usasbe Proceedings.
Chirico F., 2008, “Knowledge Accumulation in Family Firms: Evidence from Four Case Studies”, International Small Business Journal, 26 (4), 433-462.
Chirico F., Nordqvist M., 2009, “Dynamic capabilities and transgenerational value creation in family business”, International Small Business Journal, October.
Chirico F., Salvato C., 2008, “Knowledge integration and dynamic organizational adaptation in family firms”, Family Business Review, 21 (2).
Corbetta G., 1995, Le imprese familiari. Caratteri originali, varietà e condizioni di sviluppo, Egea, Milano.
Del Bene L., 2005, Aziende familiari tra imprenditorialità e managerialità, Giappichelli, Torino.
Dyck B., Mauws M., Starke F.A., Mischke G.A., 2002, “Passing the baton. The importance of sequence, timing, technique and communication in executive succession”, Journal of Business Venturing, 17, 143-162.
Dyer W.G., 2006, “Examining the ‘family effect’ on firm performance”, Family Business Review, 19 (4).
Gersick K.E., Lansberg I., Desjardins M., Dunn B., 1999, “Stages and transitions: Measuring change in the family business”, Family Business Review, 12 (4).
Giaretta E., 2004, Vitalità e longevità d'impresa. L'esperienza delle aziende ultracentenarie, Giappichelli, Torino.
Goto T., 2010, “Secret of the family business longevity in Japan from the social capital perspective”, Proceedings 10th Annual Ifera Family Businesses Research Conference, Lancaster.
Habbershon T.G., Williams M.L., 1999, “A Resource-Based Framework for Assessing the Strategic Advantages of Family Firms”, Family Business Review, 12 (1).
Habbershon T.G., Williams M., Macmillan I.C., 2003, “A unified systems perspective of family firm performance”, Journal of Business Venturing, 18, 451–465.
Handler W.C., 1990, “Succession in family firms: A mutual role adjustment between entrepreneur & next-generation family members”, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 15 (1).
Handler W.C., Kram K.E. (1998), “Succession in family firms: The problem of resistance”, Family Business Review, n. 1.
Ibrahim A.B., Lam J., Soufani K., 2009, “A study of factors contributing to longevity in a family business dynasty”, Proceeding 9th Annual Ifera World Family Business Research Conference, Cyprus, June.
Janjuha-Jivraj S., Woods A., 2002, “Successional issues within Asian family firms: Learning from the Kenyan experience”, International Small Business Journal, 20 (1).
Kate K., 1999, “The prevalence of family business from a household sample”, Family Business Review, 12 (3), 209-228.
Koiranen M., 2002, “Over 100 yard of age but still entrepreneurially active in business: Exploring the values and family characteristics of old Finnish family firms”, Journal of Management, 33 (5).
Lank A.G., 2001, “Determinants of the longevity of the family business”, 12th Annual World Conference of the Family Business Network, Rome.
Le Breton-Miller I., Miller D., Steier L.P., 2004, “Toward an integrative model of effective FOB succession”, Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice, summer.
Longenecker J.G., Schoen J.E., 1978, “Management succession in the family business”, Journal of Small Business Management, July.
Lussier R.N., Sonfield M.C., 2010, “A six-country study of first-, second-, and third-generation family businesses”, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, 16 (5).
Mc Givern C., 1978, “The dynamics of management succession”, Management Decisions, 16 (1).
Miller D., Le Breton-Miller I., 2005, Managing for the long run: lessons in competitive advantage from great family businesses, Harvard Business Book.
Murray B., 2003, “The succession transition process: A longitudinal perspective”, Family Business Review, 16 (1).
Sardeshmukh S.R., Corbett A.C., 2011, “The duality of internal and external development of successors: opportunity recognition in family firms”, Family Business Review, 24 (2), 111-125.
Schröder E., Schmitt-Rodermund E., Arnaud N., 2011, “Career Choice Intentions of Adolescents With a Family Business Background”, Family Business Review, 26 (3).
Sharma P., Chrisman J.J., Chua J.H., 1997, “Strategic management of the family business: Past research and future challenges”, Family Business Review, 10 (1).
Sharma P., Chrisman J.J, & Chua J.H., 2003, “Succession planning as planned behaviour: Some empirical results”, Family Business Review, 16, 1-15.
Sharma P., Salvato C., 2013, Family firm longevity: A balancing act between continuity and change, in Fernández Pérez P., Colli A. (Eds.), A global revolution: The endurance of large family businesses around the world (pp. 34-56), Cambridge University Press.
Sharma P., Salvato C., Reay T., 2014, “Temporal Dimensions of Family Enterprise Research”, Family Business Review, 27 (1), 10–19.
Steier L., 2001, “Next-generation entrepreneurs and succession: An exploratory study of modes and means of managing social capital”, Family Business Review, 14 (3).
Tagiuri R., Davis J.A., 1996, “Bivalent attributes of the family firms”, Family Business Review, 9 (2).
Tàpies J., Fernández M., 2010, “Values and longevity in family business: evidence from a cross-cultural analysis”, WP 866, July, IESE Business School - University of Navarra.
Trow D.B., 1961), “Executive succession in small companies”, Administrative Science Quarterly, September, 228-239.
Ward J.L., 1987, Keeping the family business healthy: How to plan for continuing growth, profitability and family leadership, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.
Ward J.L., 2004, Perpetuating the family business: 50 lessons learned from long-lasting, successful families in business, Palgrave Macmillan.
Weismeier-Sammer D., Frank H., von Schlippe A., 2013, Untangling ‘familiness’. A literature review and directions for future research, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 14 (3), 165–177.
Yin R.K., 1984, Case Study Research: Design and Methods, Thousand Oaks, C.A., Sage.
Zellweger T.M., Nason R.S., Nordqvist M., 2012, “From Longevity of firms to transgenerational entrepreneurship of families.
Introducing family entrepreneurship orientation”, Family Business Review, 25 (2), 136-155
Aronoff C.E., Ward J.L., 2000, More than family: Non-family executives in the family business, Family Entreprise Publishers.
Bonti M., Cori E. 2011, “Organizational issues and capabilities dynamic among the Italian centenarian family SMEs: An empirical investigation”, Proceedings 11th Euram Conference, Tallin, June.
Bjuggren, P.O., Sund, L.G., 2001, “Strategic Decision Making in Intergenerational Successions of Small and Medium-Size Family-Owned Businesses”, Family Business Review, 14 (1).
Bjuggren, P.O., Sund, L.G., 2002, “A Transaction Cost Rationale for Transition of the Firm within the Family”, Small Business Economics, 14.
Cabrera-Suàrez K., De Saà-Pèrez P., Garcìa-Almeida D., 2001, “The succession process from a resource- and knowledge-based view of the family firm”, Family Business Review, 14 (1).
Cadieux L., 2005, “La succession dans les PME familiales: proposition d’un modèle de réussite du processus de désengagement du prédécesseur”, Revue Internationale du PME, 18 (3-4).
Cadieux L., 2007, “Succession in Small and Medium-Sized Family Businesses: Towards a Tipology of Predecessor Roles During and After Instatement of the Successor”, Family Business Review, 20 (2).
Cater J.J., 2006, “Long life in the family firm: an explanatory study of business and family success”, Usasbe Proceedings.
Chirico F., 2008, “Knowledge Accumulation in Family Firms: Evidence from Four Case Studies”, International Small Business Journal, 26 (4), 433-462.
Chirico F., Nordqvist M., 2009, “Dynamic capabilities and transgenerational value creation in family business”, International Small Business Journal, October.
Chirico F., Salvato C., 2008, “Knowledge integration and dynamic organizational adaptation in family firms”, Family Business Review, 21 (2).
Corbetta G., 1995, Le imprese familiari. Caratteri originali, varietà e condizioni di sviluppo, Egea, Milano.
Del Bene L., 2005, Aziende familiari tra imprenditorialità e managerialità, Giappichelli, Torino.
Dyck B., Mauws M., Starke F.A., Mischke G.A., 2002, “Passing the baton. The importance of sequence, timing, technique and communication in executive succession”, Journal of Business Venturing, 17, 143-162.
Dyer W.G., 2006, “Examining the ‘family effect’ on firm performance”, Family Business Review, 19 (4).
Gersick K.E., Lansberg I., Desjardins M., Dunn B., 1999, “Stages and transitions: Measuring change in the family business”, Family Business Review, 12 (4).
Giaretta E., 2004, Vitalità e longevità d'impresa. L'esperienza delle aziende ultracentenarie, Giappichelli, Torino.
Goto T., 2010, “Secret of the family business longevity in Japan from the social capital perspective”, Proceedings 10th Annual Ifera Family Businesses Research Conference, Lancaster.
Habbershon T.G., Williams M.L., 1999, “A Resource-Based Framework for Assessing the Strategic Advantages of Family Firms”, Family Business Review, 12 (1).
Habbershon T.G., Williams M., Macmillan I.C., 2003, “A unified systems perspective of family firm performance”, Journal of Business Venturing, 18, 451–465.
Handler W.C., 1990, “Succession in family firms: A mutual role adjustment between entrepreneur & next-generation family members”, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 15 (1).
Handler W.C., Kram K.E. (1998), “Succession in family firms: The problem of resistance”, Family Business Review, n. 1.
Ibrahim A.B., Lam J., Soufani K., 2009, “A study of factors contributing to longevity in a family business dynasty”, Proceeding 9th Annual Ifera World Family Business Research Conference, Cyprus, June.
Janjuha-Jivraj S., Woods A., 2002, “Successional issues within Asian family firms: Learning from the Kenyan experience”, International Small Business Journal, 20 (1).
Kate K., 1999, “The prevalence of family business from a household sample”, Family Business Review, 12 (3), 209-228.
Koiranen M., 2002, “Over 100 yard of age but still entrepreneurially active in business: Exploring the values and family characteristics of old Finnish family firms”, Journal of Management, 33 (5).
Lank A.G., 2001, “Determinants of the longevity of the family business”, 12th Annual World Conference of the Family Business Network, Rome.
Le Breton-Miller I., Miller D., Steier L.P., 2004, “Toward an integrative model of effective FOB succession”, Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice, summer.
Longenecker J.G., Schoen J.E., 1978, “Management succession in the family business”, Journal of Small Business Management, July.
Lussier R.N., Sonfield M.C., 2010, “A six-country study of first-, second-, and third-generation family businesses”, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, 16 (5).
Mc Givern C., 1978, “The dynamics of management succession”, Management Decisions, 16 (1).
Miller D., Le Breton-Miller I., 2005, Managing for the long run: lessons in competitive advantage from great family businesses, Harvard Business Book.
Murray B., 2003, “The succession transition process: A longitudinal perspective”, Family Business Review, 16 (1).
Sardeshmukh S.R., Corbett A.C., 2011, “The duality of internal and external development of successors: opportunity recognition in family firms”, Family Business Review, 24 (2), 111-125.
Schröder E., Schmitt-Rodermund E., Arnaud N., 2011, “Career Choice Intentions of Adolescents With a Family Business Background”, Family Business Review, 26 (3).
Sharma P., Chrisman J.J., Chua J.H., 1997, “Strategic management of the family business: Past research and future challenges”, Family Business Review, 10 (1).
Sharma P., Chrisman J.J, & Chua J.H., 2003, “Succession planning as planned behaviour: Some empirical results”, Family Business Review, 16, 1-15.
Sharma P., Salvato C., 2013, Family firm longevity: A balancing act between continuity and change, in Fernández Pérez P., Colli A. (Eds.), A global revolution: The endurance of large family businesses around the world (pp. 34-56), Cambridge University Press.
Sharma P., Salvato C., Reay T., 2014, “Temporal Dimensions of Family Enterprise Research”, Family Business Review, 27 (1), 10–19.
Steier L., 2001, “Next-generation entrepreneurs and succession: An exploratory study of modes and means of managing social capital”, Family Business Review, 14 (3).
Tagiuri R., Davis J.A., 1996, “Bivalent attributes of the family firms”, Family Business Review, 9 (2).
Tàpies J., Fernández M., 2010, “Values and longevity in family business: evidence from a cross-cultural analysis”, WP 866, July, IESE Business School - University of Navarra.
Trow D.B., 1961), “Executive succession in small companies”, Administrative Science Quarterly, September, 228-239.
Ward J.L., 1987, Keeping the family business healthy: How to plan for continuing growth, profitability and family leadership, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.
Ward J.L., 2004, Perpetuating the family business: 50 lessons learned from long-lasting, successful families in business, Palgrave Macmillan.
Weismeier-Sammer D., Frank H., von Schlippe A., 2013, Untangling ‘familiness’. A literature review and directions for future research, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 14 (3), 165–177.
Yin R.K., 1984, Case Study Research: Design and Methods, Thousand Oaks, C.A., Sage.
Zellweger T.M., Nason R.S., Nordqvist M., 2012, “From Longevity of firms to transgenerational entrepreneurship of families.
Introducing family entrepreneurship orientation”, Family Business Review, 25 (2), 136-155
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