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Clarifying the strategic advantage of familiness: Unbundling its dimensions and highlighting its paradoxes

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  • Irava, Wayne J.
  • Moores, Ken

Abstract

Using a resource-based theoretical lens we clarify familiness by identifying the dimensions of this unique family business resource in multigenerational family firms. Using data from four in-depth case studies, we provide evidence that familiness is comprised of human resources (reputation and experience), organisational resources (decision-making and learning), and process resources (relationships and networks). Furthermore, we demonstrate how these resource dimensions are paradoxical in nature in that each influences the family firm in both positive and negative ways. These dimensions and their nature (positive/negative) thus not only help clarify a firm's familiness but also move the construct from a conceptual notion into a more operationalised form.

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  • Irava, Wayne J. & Moores, Ken, 2010. "Clarifying the strategic advantage of familiness: Unbundling its dimensions and highlighting its paradoxes," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 1(3), pages 131-144, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:fambus:v:1:y:2010:i:3:p:131-144
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    5. Goel, Sanjay & Mazzola, Pietro & Phan, Phillip H. & Pieper, Torsten M. & Zachary, Ramona K., 2012. "Strategy, ownership, governance, and socio-psychological perspectives on family businesses from around the world," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 3(2), pages 54-65.
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    7. Hermann Frank & Alexander Kessler & Thomas Rusch & Julia Suess–Reyes & Daniela Weismeier–Sammer, 2017. "Capturing the Familiness of Family Businesses: Development of the Family Influence Familiness Scale (FIFS)," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 41(5), pages 709-742, September.
    8. Bargoni, Augusto & Alon, Ilan & Ferraris, Alberto, 2023. "A systematic review of family business and consumer behaviour," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    9. Botero, Isabel C., 2014. "Effects of communicating family ownership and organisational size on an applicant's attraction to a firm: An empirical examination in the USA and China," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 5(2), pages 184-196.
    10. De Massis, Alfredo & Kotlar, Josip, 2014. "The case study method in family business research: Guidelines for qualitative scholarship," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 5(1), pages 15-29.
    11. Boyd, Britta & Hollensen, Svend, 2012. "Strategic management of a family-owned airline: Analysing the absorptive capacity of Cimber Sterling Group A/S," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 3(2), pages 70-78.
    12. Alfredo De Massis & Josip Kotlar & Federico Frattini, 2013. "Is Social Capital Perceived as a Source of Competitive Advantage or Disadvantage for Family Firms? An Exploratory Analysis of CEO Perceptions," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 22(1), pages 15-41, March.
    13. Paulette Robic & Dominique Barbelivien & Nicolas Antheaume, 2015. "Comment cultiver une ressource ? Outils de gestion et culture du familiness," Working Papers hal-01180952, HAL.
    14. Dawson, Alexandra & Mussolino, Donata, 2014. "Exploring what makes family firms different: Discrete or overlapping constructs in the literature?," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 5(2), pages 169-183.
    15. Unai Arzubiaga & Manel Plana-Farran & Agnès Ros-Morente & Albert Joana & Sílvia Solé, 2021. "Mindfulness and Next-Generation Members of Family Firms: A Source for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-13, May.
    16. Glyptis, Loukas & Hadjielias, Elias & Christofi, Michael & Kvasova, Olga & Vrontis, Demetris, 2021. "Dynamic familiness capabilities and family business growth: A longitudinal perspective framed within management accounting," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 346-363.
    17. Craig, Justin B. & Dibrell, Clay & Garrett, Robert, 2014. "Examining relationships among family influence, family culture, flexible planning systems, innovativeness and firm performance," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 5(3), pages 229-238.
    18. Martina Sageder & Christine Mitter & Birgit Feldbauer‐Durstmüller, 2018. "Image and reputation of family firms: a systematic literature review of the state of research," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 335-377, January.
    19. Myriam Cano‐Rubio & Rosa Lombardi & Guadalupe Fuentes‐Lombardo & Pedro Núñez‐Cacho, 2021. "Familiness, business strategy and stakeholder engagement: The internationalisation of Spanish olive oil mills," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(8), pages 4258-4280, December.
    20. Hanna Górska-Warsewicz & Maciej Dębski & Krystyna Rejman & Wacław Laskowski, 2020. "The Specificity of Family Firms Providing Accommodation Services—The Experience of a Post-Socialist Country 30 Years after the Economic Transformation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-21, December.
    21. Amy E. Ingram & Marianne W. Lewis & Sid Barton & William B. Gartner, 2016. "Paradoxes and Innovation in Family Firms: The Role of Paradoxical Thinking," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 40(1), pages 161-176, January.
    22. Santiago, Andrea & Pandey, Shweta & Manalac, Ma. Theresa, 2019. "Family presence, family firm reputation and perceived financial performance: Empirical evidence from the Philippines," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 10(1), pages 49-56.
    23. Nurzafirah Dan & Tetsuo Shimizu, 2022. "Effective Resources to Mobilize Women Entrepreneurship: A Success Case Study of Family Tourism Businesses in Tioman Island, Malaysia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-14, July.

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