Strategic Management of the Family Business: Past Research and Future Challenges

This article reviews the literature on family business from a strategic management perspective. In general, this literature is dominated by descriptive articles that typically focus on family relationships. However, the literature does not usually address how these relationships affect the performance of a family business. Taking a strategic management perspective, we outline a new set of objectives for family-business research. We also identify some of the key issues and gaps that should be explored in future studies if research is to contribute to improving the management practices and performance of family firms.

[1]  James J. Chrisman,et al.  Defining the Family Business by Behavior , 1999 .

[2]  Teresa Joyce Covin,et al.  Perceptions of Family-Owned Firms: The Impact of Gender and Educational Level , 1994 .

[3]  Dawn Harris,et al.  Is Strategy Different for the Family-Owned Business? , 1994 .

[4]  W. Handler.  Succession in Family Business: A Review of the Research , 1994 .

[5]  Ivan Lansberg,et al.  Influence of Family Relationships on Succession Planning and Training: The Importance of Mediating Factors , 1994 .

[6]  M. Wortman.  Theoretical Foundations for Family-Owned Business: A Conceptual and Research-Based Paradigm , 1994 .

[7]  Craig C. Lundberg.  Unraveling Communications Among Family Members , 1994 .

[8]  I. K. Kleinsorge.  Financial and Efficiency Differences in Family-Owned and Non-Family-Owned Nursing Homes: An Oregon Study , 1994 .

[9]  Barbara R. Rowe,et al.  Economic Outcomes in Family-Owned Home-Based Businesses , 1993 .

[10]  B. Beach.  Family Support in Home-Based Family Businesses , 1993 .

[11]  Margaret A. Fitzgerald,et al.  Continuing the Family-Owned Home-Based Business: Evidence from a Panel Study , 1993 .

[12]  Kaihy J. Marshack.  Coentrepreneurial Couples: A Literature Review on Boundaries and Transitions Among Copreneurs , 1993 .

[13]  R. K. Heck,et al.  Family-Owned Home Businesses: Their Employees and Unpaid Helpers , 1993 .

[14]  M. McGoldrick,et al.  Ethnicity, Families, and Family Business: Implications for Practitioners , 1993 .

[15]  Kevin C. Seymour.  International Relationships in the Family Firm: The Effect on Leadership Succession , 1993 .

[16]  J. Post,et al.  The Greening of the Boston Park Plaza Hotel , 1993 .

[17]  Johannes H. M. Welsch.  The Impact of Family Ownership and Involvement on the Process of Management Succession , 1993 .

[18]  Bill Wooldridge,et al.  Self-Confidence and Managerial Autonomy: Successor Characteristics Critical to Succession in Family Firms , 1993 .

[19]  D. Landes.  Bleichröders and Rothschilds: The Problem of Continuity in the Family Firm , 1993 .

[20]  Karen L. Vinton,et al.  Do Family-Owned Businesses Have a Strategic Advantage in International Joint Ventures? , 1993 .

[21]  Stephen A. Stallings.  Research Note: The Emergence of American Indian Enterprise , 1992 .

[22]  Bernard P. Wong,et al.  Chinese Family Firms in the San Francisco Bay Area , 1992 .

[23]  J. Rothstein.  Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover: A Reconsideration of Eight Assumptions About Jewish Family Businesses , 1992 .

[24]  Sylvia Melodye Dean.  Characteristics of African American Family-Owned Businesses in Los Angeles , 1992 .

[25]  J. Oliver,et al.  An Empirical Examination of the Stages of Development of Family Business , 1992 .

[26]  Joe Singer,et al.  Strategic Management Planning for the Successful Family Business , 1992 .

[27]  Douglas A. Henderson,et al.  Location Preferences of Family Firms: Strategic Decision Making or “Home Sweet Home”? , 1992 .

[28]  K. Kaye.  The Kid Brother , 1992 .

[29]  W. Handler.  The Succession Experience of the Next Generation , 1992 .

[30]  C. Daily,et al.  An Empirical Examination of Ownership Structure in Family and Professionally Managed Firms , 1992 .

[31]  Per V. Jenster,et al.  The Problem of the Plateaued Owner-Manager , 1992 .

[32]  Renato Tagiuri,et al.  On the Goals of Successful Family Companies , 1992 .

[33]  M. McCollom.  Organizational Stories in a Family-Owned Business , 1992 .

[34]  Peter B. Doeringer,et al.  Capitalism and Kinship: Do Institutions Matter in the Labor Market? , 1992 .

[35]  Alma J. Owen,et al.  Research Note: The Impact of Home-Based Business on Family Life , 1991 .

[36]  Amy R. Lyman.  Customer Service: Does Family Ownership Make a Difference? , 1991 .

[37]  L. B. Barnes,et al.  Outside Boards and Family Businesses: Another Look , 1991 .

[38]  Rik Donckels,et al.  Are Family Businesses Really Different? European Experiences from STRATOS , 1991 .

[39]  Ivan Lansberg,et al.  Understanding and Working with Leading Family Businesses in Latin America , 1991 .

[40]  M. Gallo,et al.  Internationalizing the Family Business: Facilitating and Restraining Factors , 1991 .

[41]  A. Francis.  Families, Firms, and Finance Capital: The Development of U.K. Industrial Firms with Particular Reference to Their Ownership and Control , 1991 .

[42]  Theodora Ting Chau.  Approaches to Succession in East Asian Business Organizations , 1991 .

[43]  Johannes H. M. Welsch.  Family Enterprises in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, and Spain: A Transnational Comparison , 1991 .

[44]  Stewart D. Friedman,et al.  Sibling Relationships and Intergenerational Succession in Family Firms , 1991 .

[45]  R. Prince.  Family Business Mediation: A Conflict Resolution Model , 1990 .

[46]  M. McCollom.  Problems and Prospects in Clinical Research on Family Firms , 1990 .

[47]  Henry Mintzberg,et al.  Tracking Strategy in an Entrepreneurial Firm , 1990 .

[48]  J. Post,et al.  The Captive King and His Captive Court: The Psychopolitical Dynamics of the Disabled Leader and His Inner Circle , 1990 .

[49]  Wendi Bukowitz,et al.  Women, Family Culture, and Family Business , 1990 .

[50]  Matilde Salganicoff.  Women in Family Businesses: Challenges and Opportunities , 1990 .

[51]  Glenn R. Ayres.  Rough Family Justice: Equity in Family Business Succession Planning , 1990 .

[52]  R. Berenbeim.  How Business Families Manage the Transition from Owner to Professional Management , 1990 .

[53]  Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld,et al.  The Parting Patriarch of a Family Firm , 1989 .

[54]  Stewart C. Malone.  Selected Correlates of Business Continuity Planning in the Family Business , 1989 .

[55]  Chris McGivern.  The Dynamics of Management Succession: A Model of Chief Executive Succession in the Small Family Firm , 1989 .

[56]  Bernard Barry,et al.  The Development of Organization Structure in the Family Firm , 1989 .

[57]  W. Dyer,et al.  Integrating Professional Management into a Family Owned Business , 1989 .

[58]  W. Handler,et al.  Methodological Issues and Considerations in Studying Family Businesses , 1989 .

[59]  Donald J. Jonovic.  Outside Review in a Wider Context: An Alternative to the Classic Board , 1989 .

[60]  Louis B. Barnes,et al.  Transferring Power in the Family Business , 1989 .

[61]  Thomas B. Harris.  Some Comments on Family Firm Boards , 1989 .

[62]  John A. Davis,et al.  The Influence of Life Stage on Father-Son Work Relationships in Family Companies , 1989 .

[63]  C. Dumas.  Understanding of Father-Daughter and Father-Son Dyads in Family-Owned Businesses , 1989 .

[64]  Sam H. Lane.  An Organizational Development/Team-Building Approach to Consultation with Family Businesses , 1989 .

[65]  Kathy E. Kram,et al.  Succession in Family Firms: The Problem of Resistance , 1988 .

[66]  M. McCollom.  Integration in the Family Firm: When the Family System Replaces Controls and Culture , 1988 .

[67]  Amy R. Lyman.  Life in the Family Circle , 1988 .

[68]  R. Ford.  Outside Directors and the Privately-Owned Firm: Are They Necessary? , 1988 .

[69]  Clayton L. Mathile.  A Business Owner's Perspective on Outside Boards , 1988 .

[70]  R. Mueller.  Differential Directorship: Special Sensitivities and Roles for Serving the Family Business Board. , 1988 .

[71]  C. Alderfer.  Understanding and Consulting to Family Business Boards , 1988 .

[72]  T. L. Whisler,et al.  The Role of the Board in the Threshold Firm , 1988 .

[73]  G. Heidrick.  Selecting Outside Directors , 1988 .

[74]  F. A. Tillman.  Commentary on Legal Liability: Organizing the Advisory Council , 1988 .

[75]  J. Ward,et al.  A Survey of Board Practices , 1988 .

[76]  James J. Chrisman,et al.  Toward a System for Classifying Business Strategies , 1988 .

[77]  N. Elman,et al.  Family-Owned Businesses: An Emerging Field of Inquiry , 1988 .

[78]  Ivan Lansberg,et al.  The Succession Conspiracy , 1988 .

[79]  John L. Ward,et al.  The Special Role of Strategic Planning for Family Businesses , 1988 .

[80]  W. Dyer,et al.  Culture and Continuity in Family Firms , 1988 .

[81]  L. B. Barnes.  Incongruent Hierarchies: Daughters and Younger Sons as Company CEOs , 1988 .

[82]  M. Quarrey,et al.  Family Businesses and Employee Ownership , 1988 .

[83]  B. Kirchhoff,et al.  Family Contributions to Productivity and Profitability in Small Business , 1987 .

[84]  John L. Ward,et al.  Keeping The Family Business Healthy , 1986 .

[85]  W. Dyer,et al.  Cultural Change in Family Firms: Anticipating and Managing Business and Family Transitions , 1986 .

[86]  Sue Birley,et al.  Succession in the Family Firm: The Inheritor's View , 1986 .

[87]  J. Verdin.  Improving Sales Performance in a Family-Owned Business , 1986 .

[88]  Siu-lun Wong,et al.  The Chinese Family Firm: A Model , 1985 .

[89]  James J. Chrisman,et al.  Corporate diversification: Entry, strategy, and performance , 1984 .

[90]  Bill McKelvey,et al.  Organizational Systematics: Taxonomy, Evolution, Classification. , 1984 .

[91]  Ann C. Crouter,et al.  Spillover from Family to Work: The Neglected Side of the Work-Family Interface , 1984 .

[92]  G. Geeraerts,et al.  The Effect of Ownership on the Organization Structure in Small Firms , 1984 .

[93]  Phyllis G. Holland,et al.  Balancing the "Family" and the "Business" in family business , 1984 .

[94]  Richard Beckhard,et al.  Managing continuity in the family-owned business , 1983 .

[95]  Ivan Lansberg.  Managing human resources in family firms: The problem of institutional overlap , 1983 .

[96]  P. Davis,et al.  Realizing the potential of the family business , 1983 .

[97]  E. Schein.  The Role of the Founder in Creating Organizational Culture , 1983 .

[98]  D. Reiss.  The working family: a researcher's view of health in the household. , 1982, The American journal of psychiatry.

[99]  M. Nichols,et al.  Privately-Held and Publicly-Held Companies: A Comparison of Strategic Choices and Management Processes , 1982 .

[100]  S. Salamon,et al.  Land Ownership and the Position of Elderly in Farm Families , 1980 .

[101]  Charles W. Hofer,et al.  Strategic management : a new view of business policy and planning , 1980 .

[102]  Ronald J. Burke,et al.  Work Demands on Administrators and Spouse Well-Being , 1980 .

[103]  Bernard Barry,et al.  The Development of Organisation Structure in the Family Firm , 1975 .

[104]  Peter Willmott,et al.  Family, Work and Leisure Conflicts Among Male Employees , 1971 .

[105]  T. Navin.  Passing on the mantle: Management succession in industry , 1971 .

[106]  D. Trow,et al.  Executive Succession in Small Companies , 1961 .

[107]  R. Dreyer.  All in the family. , 1990, RDH.

[108]  Ian C. MacMillan,et al.  Strategy formulation : power and politics , 1986 .

[109]  R. Goffee,et al.  Proprietorial Control In Family Firms: Some Functions Of ‘Quasi‐Organic’ Management Systems , 1985 .

[110]  Charles W. Hofer,et al.  Strategy formulation : analytical concepts , 1978 .

[111]  Roy A. Lindberg,et al.  Survival & growth: management strategies for the small firm , 1974 .

[112]  H. Levinson.  Don't Choose Your Own Successor. , 1974 .

[113]  Myles L. Mace,et al.  Directors: Myth and Reality , 1971 .

[114]  P. P. Schoderbek.  Management systems , 1971 .