The Distinctiveness of Family Firm Intangibles: A Review and Suggestions for Future Research

Abstract

We review the theoretical and empirical literature on the resource-based view in the context of family businesses using a framework of intangible resources. This approach allows us to structure the present research on value-adding resources in family firms into four clearly distinct groups – organizational culture, reputation, human capital and networks – and provides us with the opportunity to examine the interactions of these intangible resources.

We use these relationships to offer a future research agenda that is focused on the creation of competitive advantage through the combination and recombination of these resources.

Keywords: family business research, resource-based view, intangibles, organizational culture, reputation, human capital, networks

JEL Classification: M21, M10, M14, M13