Family Business: Theory

Researchers in family business believe that the family's influence in a family business makes these firms distinct from other business organizations, leading to intangible resources and unique attributes that create competitive advantages. To ferret out the extent to which this is so, researchers have often classified a firm as a family firm by criteria or combinations of criteria including family ownership, management by a family member, operational involvement of family members, and family member involvement across generations. Subsequently, researchers have applied mainstream management theories to explain how those firms classified as family firms may differ from nonfamily firms on several performance dimensions. Whereas several theories have been applied, most examinations have their roots in strategic management, and the theories used to examine family firms have ...