Generational Involvement in the Top Management Team of Family Firms: Exploring Nonlinear Effects on Entrepreneurial Orientation

Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, April 2012

17 Pages Posted: 18 Nov 2012

See all articles by Salvatore Sciascia

Salvatore Sciascia

Università Carlo Cattaneo (LIUC)

Pietro Mazzola

IULM University

Francesco Chirico

Jonkoping University - Jonkoping International Business School (JIBS); Macquarie University, Macquarie Business School

Date Written: 2012

Abstract

The present study contends that an inverted U-shaped relationship exists between generational involvement — i.e., the number of family generations simultaneously involved in the family-firm top management team (TMT) — and entrepreneurial orientation (EO). Drawing on the upper echelons theory, we conceive generational involvement as a proxy of knowledge diversity in multigenerational family TMTs. We argue that while moderate levels of generational involvement stimulate task-related constructive conflicts for EO, increased kinship distance and relationship conflicts led by high levels of generational involvement are likely to undermine this potential advantage by damaging the relational context for EO. Our hypothesis is confirmed on a data set of 199 family firms.

Keywords: family business, entrepreneurial orientation, generational involvement, product innovation, risk taking, proactiveness

Suggested Citation

Sciascia, Salvatore and Mazzola, Pietro and Chirico, Francesco and Chirico, Francesco, Generational Involvement in the Top Management Team of Family Firms: Exploring Nonlinear Effects on Entrepreneurial Orientation (2012). Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, April 2012, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2177335

Salvatore Sciascia

Università Carlo Cattaneo (LIUC) ( email )

Corso Matteotti, 22
21053 Castellanza (VA)
Italy

Pietro Mazzola

IULM University ( email )

Via Carlo Bo, 1
Milano
Italy
+3902891412636 (Phone)
+3902891412770 (Fax)

Francesco Chirico (Contact Author)

Jonkoping University - Jonkoping International Business School (JIBS) ( email )

Jönköping, 55111
Sweden

Macquarie University, Macquarie Business School ( email )

New South Wales 2109
Australia

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