IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jtecht/v48y2023i6d10.1007_s10961-022-09986-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Family firm ambidexterity: the influence of paradoxical tensions and the Entrepreneurial Family’s cohesion

Author

Listed:
  • Matthias Guffler

    (University of Witten/Herdecke)

  • Alexandra Bertschi-Michel

    (University of Bern)

  • Andreas Hack

    (University of Bern)

  • Franz W. Kellermanns

    (The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
    WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management)

Abstract

This study presents paradoxical tensions as the ‘missing link’ at the intersection of the entrepreneurial family and family firm management: a link that crucially affects innovation-related decisions such as ambidexterity. Specifically, the study argues that the relationship between family cohesion and organizational ambidexterity within entrepreneurial family firms is mediated by paradoxical tensions (latent and salient). Drawing on survey data from 206 German family firms, support is found for the hypotheses advanced. Building on cognitive resource theory, this study demonstrates that differently perceived paradoxical tensions in entrepreneurial family firms have different meaningful effects on organizational ambidexterity. Implications for theory and future research are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthias Guffler & Alexandra Bertschi-Michel & Andreas Hack & Franz W. Kellermanns, 2023. "Family firm ambidexterity: the influence of paradoxical tensions and the Entrepreneurial Family’s cohesion," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(6), pages 1945-1977, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:48:y:2023:i:6:d:10.1007_s10961-022-09986-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s10961-022-09986-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10961-022-09986-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10961-022-09986-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kimberly A. Eddleston & Franz Willi Kellermanns & Ravi Sarathy, 2008. "Resource Configuration in Family Firms: Linking Resources, Strategic Planning and Technological Opportunities to Performance," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(1), pages 26-50, January.
    2. Yashar Mansoori & Martin Lackéus, 2020. "Comparing effectuation to discovery-driven planning, prescriptive entrepreneurship, business planning, lean startup, and design thinking," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 54(3), pages 791-818, March.
    3. Anderson, Ronald C. & Mansi, Sattar A. & Reeb, David M., 2003. "Founding family ownership and the agency cost of debt," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(2), pages 263-285, May.
    4. Justin J. P. Jansen & Frans A. J. Van Den Bosch & Henk W. Volberda, 2006. "Exploratory Innovation, Exploitative Innovation, and Performance: Effects of Organizational Antecedents and Environmental Moderators," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 52(11), pages 1661-1674, November.
    5. Jess H. Chua & James J. Chrisman & Alfredo De Massis, 2015. "A Closer Look at Socioemotional Wealth: Its Flows, Stocks, and Prospects for Moving Forward," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(2), pages 173-182, March.
    6. Chang, Yi-Ying & Hughes, Mathew, 2012. "Drivers of innovation ambidexterity in small- to medium-sized firms," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 1-17.
    7. Veider, Viktoria & Matzler, Kurt, 2016. "The ability and willingness of family-controlled firms to arrive at organizational ambidexterity," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 7(2), pages 105-116.
    8. Franz W. Kellermanns & Kimberly A. Eddleston, 2004. "Feuding Families: When Conflict Does a Family Firm Good," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 28(3), pages 209-228, May.
    9. Pieter Vandekerkhof & Tensie Steijvers & Walter Hendriks & Wim Voordeckers, 2018. "Socio†Emotional Wealth Separation and Decision†Making Quality in Family Firm TMTs: The Moderating Role of Psychological Safety," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(4), pages 648-676, June.
    10. Zahra, Shaker A. & Neubaum, Donald O. & Larraneta, Barbara, 2007. "Knowledge sharing and technological capabilities: The moderating role of family involvement," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 60(10), pages 1070-1079, October.
    11. Patricio Duran & Nadine Kammerlander & Marc van Essen & Thomas Zellweger, 2016. "Doing More with Less : Innovation Input and Output in Family Firms," Post-Print hal-02312103, HAL.
    12. Patricio Duran & Nadine Kammerlander & Marc van Essen & Thomas Zellweger, 2016. "Doing More with Less : Innovation Input and Output in Family Firms," Post-Print hal-02276703, HAL.
    13. Shepherd, Dean A., 2009. "Grief recovery from the loss of a family business: A multi- and meso-level theory," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 81-97, January.
    14. Wendy K. Smith & Michael L. Tushman, 2005. "Managing Strategic Contradictions: A Top Management Model for Managing Innovation Streams," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 16(5), pages 522-536, October.
    15. Arzubiaga, Unai & Kotlar, Josip & De Massis, Alfredo & Maseda, Amaia & Iturralde, Txomin, 2018. "Entrepreneurial orientation and innovation in family SMEs: Unveiling the (actual) impact of the Board of Directors," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 455-469.
    16. Michael Lubatkin & Zeki Simsek & Yan Ling & John F. Veiga, 2006. "Ambidexterity and Performance in Small-to Medium-Sized Firms : The Pivotal Role of Top Management Team Behavioral Integration," Post-Print hal-02311781, HAL.
    17. Tina Wolf & Uwe Cantner & Holger Graf & Michael Rothgang, 2019. "Cluster ambidexterity towards exploration and exploitation: strategies and cluster management," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(6), pages 1840-1866, December.
    18. David L. Brannon & Johan Wiklund & J. Michael Haynie, 2013. "The Varying Effects of Family Relationships in Entrepreneurial Teams," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 37(1), pages 107-132, January.
    19. Sze-Sze Wong, 2004. "Distal and Local Group Learning: Performance Trade-offs and Tensions," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 15(6), pages 645-656, December.
    20. Roland Kidwell & Franz Kellermanns & Kimberly Eddleston, 2012. "Harmony, Justice, Confusion, and Conflict in Family Firms: Implications for Ethical Climate and the “Fredo Effect”," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 106(4), pages 503-517, April.
    21. James G. March, 1991. "Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 71-87, February.
    22. David L. Deephouse & Peter Jaskiewicz, 2013. "Do Family Firms Have Better Reputations Than Non-Family Firms? An Integration of Socioemotional Wealth and Social Identity Theories," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(3), pages 337-360, May.
    23. Sumantra Ghoshal & Christopher A. Bartlett, 1994. "Linking organizational context and managerial action: The dimensions of quality of management," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(S2), pages 91-112, June.
    24. Kimberly A. Eddleston & Franz W. Kellermanns & Thomas M. Zellweger, 2012. "Exploring the Entrepreneurial Behavior of Family Firms: Does the Stewardship Perspective Explain Differences?," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 36(2), pages 347-367, March.
    25. Danny Soetanto & Sarah L. Jack, 2018. "Slack resources, exploratory and exploitative innovation and the performance of small technology-based firms at incubators," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(5), pages 1213-1231, October.
    26. Tommaso Pucci & Mara Brumana & Tommaso Minola & Lorenzo Zanni, 2020. "Social capital and innovation in a life science cluster: the role of proximity and family involvement," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 205-227, February.
    27. Benedikt Schnellbächer & Sven Heidenreich, 2020. "The role of individual ambidexterity for organizational performance: examining effects of ambidextrous knowledge seeking and offering," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(5), pages 1535-1561, October.
    28. Justin J. P. Jansen & Michiel P. Tempelaar & Frans A. J. van den Bosch & Henk W. Volberda, 2009. "Structural Differentiation and Ambidexterity: The Mediating Role of Integration Mechanisms," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 20(4), pages 797-811, August.
    29. Zi-Lin He & Poh-Kam Wong, 2004. "Exploration vs. Exploitation: An Empirical Test of the Ambidexterity Hypothesis," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 15(4), pages 481-494, August.
    30. David G. Sirmon & Michael A. Hitt, 2003. "Managing Resources: Linking Unique Resources, Management, and Wealth Creation in Family Firms," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 27(4), pages 339-358, October.
    31. Ensley, Michael D. & Pearson, Allison W. & Amason, Allen C., 2002. "Understanding the dynamics of new venture top management teams: cohesion, conflict, and new venture performance," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 17(4), pages 365-386, July.
    32. Shaker A. Zahra, 2010. "Harvesting Family Firms' Organizational Social Capital: A Relational Perspective," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(2), pages 345-366, March.
    33. Shaker Zahra, 2012. "Organizational learning and entrepreneurship in family firms: exploring the moderating effect of ownership and cohesion," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 38(1), pages 51-65, January.
    34. Eddleston, Kimberly A. & Kellermanns, Franz W., 2007. "Destructive and productive family relationships: A stewardship theory perspective," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 545-565, July.
    35. Gedajlovic, Eric & Cao, Qing & Zhang, Hongping, 2012. "Corporate shareholdings and organizational ambidexterity in high-tech SMEs: Evidence from a transitional economy," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 27(6), pages 652-665.
    36. Leonard Greenhalgh & Deborah I. Chapman, 1998. "Negotiator Relationships: Construct Measurement, and Demonstration of Their Impact on the Process and Outcomes of Negotiation," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 7(6), pages 465-489, November.
    37. Scholes, Louise & Hughes, Mathew & Wright, Mike & De Massis, Alfredo & Kotlar, Josip, 2021. "Family management and family guardianship: Governance effects on family firm innovation strategy," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 12(4).
    38. Kudlats, Jerry & McDowell, William C. & Mahto, Raj V., 2019. "Unrelated but together: Trust and intergroup relations in multi-family businesses," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 750-756.
    39. Alexander Zimmermann & Sebastian Raisch & Julian Birkinshaw, 2015. "How Is Ambidexterity Initiated? The Emergent Charter Definition Process," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 26(4), pages 1119-1139, August.
    40. Justin J. P. Jansen & Konstantinos C. Kostopoulos & Oli R. Mihalache & Alexandros Papalexandris, 2016. "A Socio-Psychological Perspective on Team Ambidexterity: The Contingency Role of Supportive Leadership Behaviours," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(6), pages 939-965, September.
    41. Constantine Andriopoulos & Marianne W. Lewis, 2009. "Exploitation-Exploration Tensions and Organizational Ambidexterity: Managing Paradoxes of Innovation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 20(4), pages 696-717, August.
    42. Marco Cucculelli & Ivano Dileo & Marco Pini, 2022. "Filling the void of family leadership: institutional support to business model changes in the Italian Industry 4.0 experience," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(1), pages 213-241, February.
    43. Long, Rebecca G. & Mathews, K. Michael, 2011. "Ethics in the Family Firm: Cohesion through Reciprocity and Exchange," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 21(2), pages 287-308, April.
    44. Oughton, Christine & Landabaso, Mikel & Morgan, Kevin, 2002. "The Regional Innovation Paradox: Innovation Policy and Industrial Policy," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 27(1), pages 97-110, January.
    45. Andreas Strobl & Kurt Matzler & Bright Adu Nketia & Viktoria Veider, 2020. "Individual innovation behavior and firm-level exploration and exploitation: how family firms make the most of their managers," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 809-844, August.
    46. William S. Schulze & Michael H. Lubatkin & Richard N. Dino & Ann K. Buchholtz, 2001. "Agency Relationships in Family Firms: Theory and Evidence," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 12(2), pages 99-116, April.
    47. Duane Ireland, R. & Webb, Justin W., 2007. "Strategic entrepreneurship: Creating competitive advantage through streams of innovation," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 49-59.
    48. Demetris Vrontis & Alkis Thrassou & Gabriele Santoro & Armando Papa, 2017. "Ambidexterity, external knowledge and performance in knowledge-intensive firms," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 374-388, April.
    49. Frank Hoy & Alex Stewart & G.T. Lumpkin & Jerome A. Katz, 2010. "Team approaches to entrepreneurship and family business education," Advances in Entrepreneurship, Firm Emergence and Growth, in: Entrepreneurship and Family Business, pages 349-357, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    50. Guoquan Chen & Dean Tjosvold & Chunhong Liu, 2006. "Cooperative Goals, Leader People and Productivity Values: Their Contribution to Top Management Teams in China," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(5), pages 1177-1200, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. David B. Audretsch & Maribel Guerrero, 2023. "Is ambidexterity the missing link between entrepreneurship, management, and innovation?," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(6), pages 1891-1918, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. David B. Audretsch & Maribel Guerrero, 2023. "Is ambidexterity the missing link between entrepreneurship, management, and innovation?," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(6), pages 1891-1918, December.
    2. Veider, Viktoria & Matzler, Kurt, 2016. "The ability and willingness of family-controlled firms to arrive at organizational ambidexterity," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 7(2), pages 105-116.
    3. Andreas Strobl & Kurt Matzler & Bright Adu Nketia & Viktoria Veider, 2020. "Individual innovation behavior and firm-level exploration and exploitation: how family firms make the most of their managers," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 809-844, August.
    4. Telma Mendes & Vítor Braga & Carina Silva & Vanessa Ratten, 2023. "Taking a closer look at the regionally clustered firms: How can ambidexterity explain the link between management, entrepreneurship, and innovation in a post-industrialized world?," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(6), pages 2007-2053, December.
    5. Úbeda-García, Mercedes & Claver-Cortés, Enrique & Marco-Lajara, Bartolomé & Zaragoza-Sáez, Patrocinio, 2020. "Toward a dynamic construction of organizational ambidexterity: Exploring the synergies between structural differentiation, organizational context, and interorganizational relations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 363-372.
    6. Sondos G. Abdelgawad & Shaker A. Zahra, 2020. "Family Firms’ Religious Identity and Strategic Renewal," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 163(4), pages 775-787, May.
    7. Chirico, Francesco & Duane Ireland, R. & Pittino, Daniel & Sanchez-Famoso, Valeriano, 2022. "Radical innovation in (multi)family owned firms," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 37(3).
    8. Hu, Min & Dou, Junsheng & You, Xialei, 2023. "Is organizational ambidexterity always beneficial to family-managed SMEs? Evidence from China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    9. Cristina Bettinelli & Marco Mismetti & Alfredo De Massis & Barbara Del Bosco, 2022. "A Review of Conflict and Cohesion in Social Relationships in Family Firms," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 46(3), pages 539-577, May.
    10. Jan Ossenbrink & Joern Hoppmann & Volker H. Hoffmann, 2019. "Hybrid Ambidexterity: How the Environment Shapes Incumbents’ Use of Structural and Contextual Approaches," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(6), pages 1319-1348, November.
    11. Jan Ossenbrink & Joern Hoppmann, 2019. "Polytope Conditioning and Linear Convergence of the Frank–Wolfe Algorithm," Mathematics of Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 44(1), pages 1319-1348, February.
    12. Yasser Alizadeh & Antonie J. Jetter, 2019. "Pathways for Balancing Exploration and Exploitation in Innovations: A Review and Expansion of Ambidexterity Theory," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 16(05), pages 1-33, August.
    13. Arzubiaga, Unai & Kotlar, Josip & De Massis, Alfredo & Maseda, Amaia & Iturralde, Txomin, 2018. "Entrepreneurial orientation and innovation in family SMEs: Unveiling the (actual) impact of the Board of Directors," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 455-469.
    14. Sherlock, Chelsea & Dibrell, Clay & Memili, Esra, 2023. "The impact of family commitment on firm innovativeness: The mediating role of resource stocks," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 14(3).
    15. María del Pilar Casado-Belmonte & María de las Mercedes Capobianco-Uriarte & Rubén Martínez-Alonso & María J. Martínez-Romero, 2021. "Delineating the Path of Family Firm Innovation: Mapping the Scientific Structure," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 15(8), pages 2455-2499, November.
    16. Mammassis, Constantinos S. & Kostopoulos, Konstantinos C., 2019. "CEO goal orientations, environmental dynamism and organizational ambidexterity: An investigation in SMEs," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 37(5), pages 577-588.
    17. Sabyasachi Sinha, 2015. "The Exploration–Exploitation Dilemma: A Review in the Context of Managing Growth of New Ventures," Vikalpa: The Journal for Decision Makers, , vol. 40(3), pages 313-323, September.
    18. Christopher Kurzhals & Lorenz Graf‐Vlachy & Andreas König, 2020. "Strategic leadership and technological innovation: A comprehensive review and research agenda," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(6), pages 437-464, November.
    19. César Camisón-Zornoza & Beatriz Forés-Julián & Alba Puig-Denia & Sergio Camisón-Haba, 0. "Effects of ownership structure and corporate and family governance on dynamic capabilities in family firms," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-34.
    20. Karl Aschenbrücker & Tobias Kretschmer, 2022. "Performance-based incentives and innovative activity in small firms: evidence from German manufacturing," Journal of Organization Design, Springer;Organizational Design Community, vol. 11(2), pages 47-64, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Entrepreneurial family firms; Organizational ambidexterity; Paradoxical tensions; Family cohesion;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • M10 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:48:y:2023:i:6:d:10.1007_s10961-022-09986-2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.