Skip to main content

Context and Uniqueness of Family Businesses

  • Chapter
Family Businesses in Transition Economies

Abstract

Family businesses represent the majority of companies and are an important source for the generation of jobs in most countries. Longevity is very important for the family businesses and for economies as a whole. Succession is one of the most difficult decisions for the family business, and one of the most important. When business leadership transitions are not well structured they may cause expensive legal issues leading to the sale or eventual loss of the business. This chapter presents a review of some general, but very important issues, related to family businesses.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Alderson, J. K. (2011). Understanding the family business. New York: Business Expert Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Becker, H. S., Geer, B., Hughes, E. C., & Strauss, A. L. (1961). Boys in white. New Brunswick: Transaction Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowman-Upton, N. B. (2009). Transferring management in the family-owned business. Washington, DC: U.S. Small Business Administration.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyatzis, E. R., & Soler, C. (2012). Vision, leadership and emotional intelligence transforming family business. Journal of Family Business Management, 2(1), 23–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brigham, K. H. (2013). Social and economic impact of family business. In R. L. Sorenson, A. Yu, K. H. Brigham, & G. T. Lumpkin (Eds.), The landscape of family business. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brockhaus, R. H. (2004). Family business succession: Suggestions for future research. Family Business Review, 17(2), 165–177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cadbury, A. (2000). Family firms and their governance: Creating tomorrow’s company from today’s. London: Egon Zehnder.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cadieux, L., & Lorrain, J. (2002). Le processus de la succession dans les entreprises familiales: une problématique comportant des défis estimables pour les chercheurs. In 6ème Congrès International Francophone sur la PME, 24–26 October, Montréal, Canada.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carlock, R. S., & Ward, J. L. (2001). Strategic planning for the family business—Parallel planning to unify the family and business. New York: Palgrave.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Chua, H. J., Chrisman, J. J., & Sharma, P. (1999). Defining the family business by behaviour. Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice, 23(4), 19–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Comi, A., & Eppler, M. J. (2014). Diagnosing capabilities in family firms: An overview of visual research methods and suggestions for future applications. Journal of Family Business Strategy, 5, 41–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crosbie, A. (2000). Don’t leave it to the children: Starting, building and sustaining a family business. Dublin: Marino Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dakoumi Hamrouni, A., & Mnasser, K. (2013). Basics factors of success in family-owned businessesfrom second to third generation. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 18(1), 57–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, P., & Stern, D. (2004). Adaptation, survival, and growth of the family business: An integrated systems perspective. Family Business Review, 1(1), 69–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Massis, A., Sharma, P., Chua, H. J., Chrisman, J. J., & Kotlar, J. (2012). Family business studies: An annotated bibliography. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Dean, S. M. (1992). Characteristics of African American family-owned businesses in Los Angeles. Family Business Review, 5(4), 373–395.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duh, M., & Belak, J. (2009, June 5–6). Core values, culture and ethical climate in family versus non-family enterprises. In Proceedings of the 7th international conference on management, enterprise and benchmarking, Budapest, Hungary, pp. 49–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dumas, C., & Blodgett, M. (1999). Articulating values to inform decision making: Lessons from family firms around the world. International Journal of Value-Based Management, 12(3), 209–221.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunn, B. (1995). Success themes in Scottish family enterprises: Philosophies and practices through the generations. Family Business Review, 8(1), 17–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dyer, W. G., Jr. (1986). Cultural change in family firms. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dyer, W. G., Jr. (1988). Culture and continuity in family firms. Family Business Review, 1(1), 37–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farrington, S. M. (2009). Sibling partnerships in South African small and medium-sized family businesses. Unpublished doctoral thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fattoum, S., & Fayolle, A. (2009). Generational succession: Examples from Tunisian family firms. Journal of Enterprising Culture, 17(2), 127–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fiti, T., & Ramadani, V. (2013). Entrepreneurship. Tetovo: South-East European University (in Albanian language).

    Google Scholar 

  • Gashi, G., & Ramadani, V. (2013). Family businesses in Republic of Kosovo: Some general issues. In V. Ramadani & R. Schneider (Eds.), Entrepreneurship in the Balkans: Diversity, support and prospects. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gersick, K. E., Davis, J. A., McCollum Hampton, M., & Lansberg, I. (1997). Generations to generations: Life cycles of the family business. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gimeno, A., Baulenas, G., & Coma-Cros, J. (2010). Family business models: Practical solutions for the family business. New York: Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Hacker, J., & Dowling, M. (2012). Succession in family firms: How to improve family satisfaction and family harmony. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 15(1), 76–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harvey, M., & Evans, R. E. (1994). Family business and multiple levels of conflict. Family Business Review, 7(4), 331–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hofstede, G. (1998). Attitudes, values and organizational culture: Disentangling the concepts. Organization Studies, 19(3), 477–493.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoy, F. (2007). Nurturing the interpreneur. Electronic Journal of Family Business Studies, 1(1), 4–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoy, F. (2012). Book review: Keeping the family business healthy: How to plan for continuing growth, profitability, and family leadership; Generation to generation: Life cycles of the family business; and managing for the long run: Lessons in competitive advantage from great family businesses. Family Business Review, 25(1), 117–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoy, F., & Laffranchini, G. (2014). Managing family business, Oxford bibliographies. http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/obo/page/management.

  • Hoy, F., & Sharma, P. (2010). Entrepreneurial family firms. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoy, F., & Verser, T. G. (1994). Emerging business, emerging field: Entrepreneurship and the family firm. Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice, 19(1), 9–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • IFC. (2008). Family business governance handbook. Washington, DC: International Finance Corporation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jehn, K. A., & Mannix, E. A. (2001). The dynamic nature of conflict: A longitudinal study of intragroup conflict and group performance. Academy of Management Journal, 44(2), 238–251.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jorissen, A., Laveren, E., Martens, R., & Reheul, A.-M. (2005). Real versus sample-based differences in comparative family business research. Family Business Review, 18(3), 229–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kamei, K., & Dana, L.-P. (2012). Examining the impact of new policy facilitating SME succession in Japan: From a viewpoint of risk management in family business. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 16(1), 60–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kellermanns, W. F., Eddleston, K. A., Barnett, T., & Pearson, A. (2008). An exploratory study of family member characteristics and involvement: Effects on entrepreneurial behavior in the family firm. Family Business Review, 21(1), 1–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kepner, E. (2004). The family and the firm: A co-evolutionary perspective. Family Business Review, 4(4), 445–461.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koiranen, M. (2002). Over 100 years of age but still entrepreneurially active in business: Exploring the values and family characteristics of old Finnish family firms. Family Business Review, 15(3), 175–188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kotter, J. P., & Heskett, J. L. (1992). Corporate culture and performance. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • KPMG. (2013). Family business survey 2013: Performers, resilient, adaptable, sustainable. Melbourne: Family Business Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuratko, D. K., & Hodgetts, R. M. (2004). Entrepreneurship: Theory, process & practice (6th ed.). Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lansberg, S. I. (1983). Managing human resources in family firms: The problem of institutional overlap. Organizational Dynamics, 12(1), 39–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lansberg, I. S. (1988). The succession conspiracy. Family Business Review, 1(2), 119–143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lansberg, I. S., Perrow, E. L., & Rogolsky, S. (1988). Family business as an emerging field. Family Business Review, 1(1), 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leach, P. (2011). Family businesses: The essentials. London: Profile Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lipman, F. D. (2010). The family business guide, everything you need to know to manage your business from legal planning to business strategies. New York: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Longenecker, J. G., Moore, C. W., & Petty, J. W. (2000). Small business management: An entrepreneurial emphasis (11th ed.). Cincinnati: South-Western College.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mandl, I. (2008). Overview of family business relevant issues. Vienna: Austrian Institute for SME Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mazzarol, T. (2006). Small business management: An applied approach. Prahran, VIC: Tilde University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Molly, V., Laveren, E., & Deloof, M. (2010). Family business succession and its impact on financial structure and performance. Family Business Review, 23(2), 131–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morris, M. H., Williams, R. O., Allen, J. A., & Avila, R. A. (1997). Correlates of success in family business transitions. Journal of Business Venturing, 12(5), 385–401.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neubauer, F., & Lank, A. G. (1998). The family business: Its governance for sustainability. London: Macmillan Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olson, P. D., Zuiker, V. S., Danes, S. M., Stafford, K., Heck, R. K. Z., & Duncan, K. A. (2003). The impact of the family and the business on family business sustainability. Journal of Business Venturing, 18(5), 639–666.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perman, S. (2006). Taking the pulse of family business. Bloomberg Businessweek, http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2006-02-13/taking-the-pulse-of-family-businessbusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice.

  • Poutziouris, Z. P. (2001). The views of family companies on venture capital: Empirical evidence from the UK small to medium-size enterprising economy. Family Business Review, 14(3), 277–291.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poza, E. J. (2010). Family business (3rd ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poza, E. J., & Daugherty, M. S. (2013). Family business (4th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramadani, V., Fayolle, A., Gerguri, S., & Aliu, E. (2013). The succession issues in family firms: Evidence from Macedonia. In 5th E-LAB international symposium of entrepreneurship on family entrepreneurship: A new field of research, EM Lyon Business School, Lyon, France.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramona, K. Z., Hoy, F., Poutziouris, P. Z., & Steier, L. P. (2008). Emerging paths of family entrepreneurship research. Journal of Small business Management, 46(3), 317–330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sareshmukh, 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.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schein, E. H. (1985). Organizational culture and leadership: A dynamic view. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma, P. (2001). Stakeholder management concepts in family firms. In Proceedings of 12th annual conference of the International Association of Business and Society (pp. 254–259). Denver, CO: Academy of Management.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma, P. (2004). An overview of the field of family business studies: Current status and directions for the future. Family Business Review, 17(1), 1–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma, P., & Hoy, F. (2013). Family business roles. In R. L. Sorenson, A. Yu, K. H. Brigham, & G. T. Lumpkin (Eds.), The landscape of family business. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharpe, A. (2014). Aligning family and business culture: How to create competitive advantage. Tharawat Magazine, 15, 16–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shi, H. X., & Dana, L.-P. (2013). Market orientation and entrepreneurship in Chinese family business: A socialisation view. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 20(1), 1–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shuklev, B., & Ramadani, V. (2012). Small business and entrepreneurship. Tetovo: South-East European University (in Albanian language).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sorenson, L. R. (1999). Conflict management strategies used by successful family businesses. Family Business Review, 12(4), 325–339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tagiuri, R., & Davis, J. (1996). Bivalent attributes of the family firm. Family Business Review, 9(2), 199–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Venter, E., van der Merwe, S., & Farrington, S. (2012). The impact of selected stakeholders on family business continuity and family harmony. Southern African Business Review, 16(2), 69–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zahra, S. A., Hayton, J. C., & Salvato, C. (2004). Entrepreneurship in family vs. non-family firms: A resource-based analysis of the effect of organizational culture. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 28(4), 363–381.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zahra, S. A., & Sharma, P. (2004). Family business research: A strategic reflection. Family Business Review, 17, 331–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Veland Ramadani .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Ramadani, V., Hoy, F. (2015). Context and Uniqueness of Family Businesses. In: Dana, LP., Ramadani, V. (eds) Family Businesses in Transition Economies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-14209-8_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics