Category: Research Insight

'Big Family:' Relatives Outside the Family Business Can Help It Thrive

Words like “non-active” or “passive” are misnomers for family business members that work elsewhere. On the contrary, these “satellite” family members are quite active and beneficial to Read more

How Family Businesses Can Attract and Keep the Best People

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic being mostly behind us, many organizations, particularly family-led small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), are still grappling with the fallout. During a crisis or Read more

Foster Business Family Identity Through Social Impact

Ford, Estee Lauder, Hyatt. What do these names have in common? For starters, they are behind some of the largest family firms in the world. But they are also associated with a revolution in finance Read more

How should entrepreneurs spend their time to enhance their effectiveness? Conventional wisdom would suggest that they must dedicate almost the entirety of their time and effort at work to breathe Read more

Why do entrepreneurs run their ventures from home? According to the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS)—a representative longitudinal dataset of individuals and households in the UK—nearly 40% Read more

Imagine finally achieving your goal of forming a new business but failing because you did not select the right team members. This is what is happening to a group of entrepreneurs who contribute more Read more

Family Emotions Can Drive Business Decisions

From “Dallas” and “The Godfather” to “House of Gucci” and “Succession,” popular culture has always relished watching how resentments, squabbles and back-stabbing can pulse through a Read more

What the Pandemic Has Taught Us About Crisis Management

Because COVID-19 had effects unlike any other crisis, crisis management research has received increased attention in the past few years. Within a few weeks, economic life was turned completely upside Read more

Using Family History for Competitive Advantage

Family businesses often have dense histories interweaving both the family and the business and involving more than just the past. Our recent study (Ge, De Massis & Kotlar, 2022), shows that family Read more

Abundant Marketing Resources Can Hinder Family Firm Innovation

Most people would agree that businesses benefit from three core marketing resources: strong market knowledge, great relationships with customers and suppliers, and a sterling public image, brand, and Read more