IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/fambus/v15y2024i4s1877858524000391.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Using machine learning to identify and measure the family influence on companies

Author

Listed:
  • Amore, Mario Daniele
  • D’Angelo, Valentino
  • Le Breton-Miller, Isabelle
  • Miller, Danny
  • Pelucco, Valerio
  • Van Essen, Marc

Abstract

Many studies have focused on family firms. Yet, grasping the nature of these organizations remains challenging because firms’ familiness can take many forms, which are hard to trace with traditional data. We use ChatGPT – an application of machine learning – to try to unravel the complex and intangible influence of families on firms in large datasets. Whereas it often classifies family firms consistently with equity criteria, ChatGPT appears able to gauge families’ legacy and values. Hence, it detects more family firms in countries where families have a strong influence on firms even without large equity stakes. Also, ChatGPT often treats lone-founder firms as non-family firms, whereas it assigns a higher family score to firms that are eponymous, heir-led, and with multiple family directors. Finally, classifying family firms using ChatGPT provides financially relevant information to investors.

Suggested Citation

  • Amore, Mario Daniele & D’Angelo, Valentino & Le Breton-Miller, Isabelle & Miller, Danny & Pelucco, Valerio & Van Essen, Marc, 2024. "Using machine learning to identify and measure the family influence on companies," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 15(4).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:fambus:v:15:y:2024:i:4:s1877858524000391
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jfbs.2024.100644
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877858524000391
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jfbs.2024.100644?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. Nicholas Bloom & John Van Reenen, 2007. "Measuring and Explaining Management Practices Across Firms and Countries," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 122(4), pages 1351-1408.
    2. Gur Aminadav & Elias Papaioannou, 2020. "Corporate Control around the World," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 75(3), pages 1191-1246, June.
    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. Isabelle Le Breton-Miller & Danny Miller & Richard H. Lester, 2011. "Stewardship or Agency? A Social Embeddedness Reconciliation of Conduct and Performance in Public Family Businesses," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(3), pages 704-721, June.
    5. 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.
    6. Delis, Manthos D. & Hasan, Iftekhar & Ongena, Steven, 2020. "Democracy and credit," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(2), pages 571-596.
    7. Isabelle Le Breton-Miller & Danny Miller, 2009. "Agency vs. Stewardship in Public Family Firms: A Social Embeddedness Reconciliation," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 33(6), pages 1169-1191, November.
    8. 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.
    9. Danny Miller & Isabelle Le Breton-Miller, 2021. "Family Firms: A Breed of Extremes?," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 45(4), pages 663-681, July.
    10. Morten Bennedsen & Kasper Meisner Nielsen & Francisco Perez-Gonzalez & Daniel Wolfenzon, 2007. "Inside the Family Firm: The Role of Families in Succession Decisions and Performance," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 122(2), pages 647-691.
    11. Bennedsen, Morten & Mehrotra, Vikas & Shim, Jungwook & Wiwattanakantang, Yupana, 2021. "Dynastic control without ownership: Evidence from post-war Japan," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 831-843.
    12. Mario Daniele Amore & Morten Bennedsen & Isabelle Le Breton‐Miller & Danny Miller, 2021. "Back to the future: The effect of returning family successions on firm performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(8), pages 1432-1458, August.
    13. Marcello M. Mariani & Khowlah Al-Sultan & Alfredo De Massis, 2023. "Corporate social responsibility in family firms: A systematic literature review," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 61(3), pages 1192-1246, May.
    14. Anderson, Ronald C. & Duru, Augustine & Reeb, David M., 2012. "Investment policy in family controlled firms," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 1744-1758.
    15. Rafael La Porta & Florencio Lopez‐De‐Silanes & Andrei Shleifer, 1999. "Corporate Ownership Around the World," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 54(2), pages 471-517, April.
    16. Elitsa R. Banalieva & Kimberly A. Eddleston & Thomas M. Zellweger, 2015. "When do family firms have an advantage in transitioning economies? Toward a dynamic institution-based view," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(9), pages 1358-1377, September.
    17. Fox, Matthew & Wade-Benzoni, Kimberly A. & Covin, Jeffrey G., 2024. "Legacy: The meaning of lasting impact for family, business, and beyond," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 15(3).
    18. Faccio, Mara & Lang, Larry H. P., 2002. "The ultimate ownership of Western European corporations," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(3), pages 365-395, September.
    19. Claudio Loderer & René Stulz & Urs Waelchli, 2017. "Firm Rigidities and the Decline in Growth Opportunities," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 63(9), pages 3000-3020, September.
    20. repec:bla:jfinan:v:58:y:2003:i:3:p:1301-1327 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. Thomas M. Zellweger & Franz W. Kellermanns & James J. Chrisman & Jess H. Chua, 2012. "Family Control and Family Firm Valuation by Family CEOs: The Importance of Intentions for Transgenerational Control," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(3), pages 851-868, June.
    22. Michael Carney & Eric Gedajlovic & Vanessa M. Strike, 2014. "Dead Money: Inheritance Law and the Longevity of Family Firms," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 38(6), pages 1261-1283, November.
    23. Miller, Danny & Le Breton-Miller, Isabelle & Lester, Richard H. & Cannella Jr., Albert A., 2007. "Are family firms really superior performers?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 13(5), pages 829-858, December.
    24. Villalonga, Belen & Amit, Raphael, 2006. "How do family ownership, control and management affect firm value?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(2), pages 385-417, May.
    25. Joern Block & Christopher Hansen & Holger Steinmetz, 2023. "Are Family Firms Doing More Innovation Output With Less Innovation Input? A Replication and Extension," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 47(4), pages 1496-1520, July.
    26. Milan Miric & Nan Jia & Kenneth G. Huang, 2023. "Using supervised machine learning for large‐scale classification in management research: The case for identifying artificial intelligence patents," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(2), pages 491-519, February.
    27. Zellweger, Thomas M. & Eddleston, Kimberly A. & Kellermanns, Franz W., 2010. "Exploring the concept of familiness: Introducing family firm identity," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 54-63, March.
    28. Miller, Danny & Le Breton-Miller, Isabelle & Amore, Mario Daniele & Minichilli, Alessandro & Corbetta, Guido, 2017. "Institutional logics, family firm governance and performance," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 674-693.
    29. Pascual Berrone & Patricio Duran & Luis Gómez-Mejía & Pursey P M A R Heugens & Tatiana Kostova & Marc Essen, 2022. "Impact of informal institutions on the prevalence, strategy, and performance of family firms: A meta-analysis," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(6), pages 1153-1177, August.
    30. Danny Miller & Isabelle Le Breton‐Miller & Richard H. Lester, 2011. "Family and Lone Founder Ownership and Strategic Behaviour: Social Context, Identity, and Institutional Logics," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(1), pages 1-25, January.
    31. Ivan Miroshnychenko & Alfredo De Massis & Danny Miller & Roberto Barontini, 2021. "Family Business Growth Around the World," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 45(4), pages 682-708, July.
    32. Marianne Bertrand & Antoinette Schoar, 2006. "The Role of Family in Family Firms," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 20(2), pages 73-96, Spring.
    33. Sharon Belenzon & Anastasiya Shamshur & Rebecca Zarutskie, 2019. "CEO's age and the performance of closely held firms," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(6), pages 917-944, June.
    34. Ronald C. Anderson & David M. Reeb, 2003. "Founding‐Family Ownership and Firm Performance: Evidence from the S&P 500," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 58(3), pages 1301-1328, June.
    35. Sharon Belenzon & Aaron K. Chatterji & Brendan Daley, 2017. "Eponymous Entrepreneurs," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(6), pages 1638-1655, June.
    36. Wagner, Dominik & Block, Joern H. & Miller, Danny & Schwens, Christian & Xi, Guoqian, 2015. "A meta-analysis of the financial performance of family firms: Another attempt," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 6(1), pages 3-13.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Mario Daniele Amore & Danny Miller, 2025. "The role of culture in family firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 64(2), pages 261-278, February.
    2. Christopher Hansen & Joern Block & Matthias Neuenkirch, 2020. "Family Firm Performance Over The Business Cycle: A Meta‐Analysis," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(3), pages 476-511, July.
    3. Hansen, Christopher & Block, Joern, 2020. "Exploring the relation between family involvement and firms’ financial performance: A replication and extension meta-analysis," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 13(C).
    4. Borsuk, Marcin & Eugster, Nicolas & Klein, Paul-Olivier & Kowalewski, Oskar, 2024. "Family firms and carbon emissions," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    5. Ivan Miroshnychenko & Alfredo De Massis & Danny Miller & Roberto Barontini, 2021. "Family Business Growth Around the World," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 45(4), pages 682-708, July.
    6. Amore, Mario Daniele & Epure, Mircea & Garofalo, Orsola, 2023. "Organizational Identity and Performance: An Inquiry into Nonconforming Company Names," HEC Research Papers Series 1495, HEC Paris.
    7. Marcin Borsuk & Nicolas Eugster & Paul-Olivier Klein & Oskar Kowalewski, 2023. "Family Ownership and Carbon Emissions," Working Papers 2023-ACF-01, IESEG School of Management.
    8. 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.
    9. François Belot & Timothée Waxin, 2017. "Labor Conflicts in French Workplaces: Does (the Type of) Family Control Matter?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 146(3), pages 591-617, December.
    10. Ivan Miroshnychenko & Giorgio Vocalelli & Alfredo Massis & Stefano Grassi & Francesco Ravazzolo, 2024. "The COVID-19 pandemic and family business performance," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 62(1), pages 213-241, January.
    11. Pascual Berrone & Patricio Duran & Luis Gómez-Mejía & Pursey P M A R Heugens & Tatiana Kostova & Marc Essen, 2022. "Impact of informal institutions on the prevalence, strategy, and performance of family firms: A meta-analysis," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(6), pages 1153-1177, August.
    12. Danny Miller & Isabelle Le Breton-Miller & Richard H. Lester, 2013. "Family Firm Governance, Strategic Conformity, and Performance: Institutional vs. Strategic Perspectives," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(1), pages 189-209, February.
    13. Svenja Jarchow & Christoph Kaserer & Henry Keppler, 2023. "Family firm performance in times of crisis—new evidence from Germany," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 13(3), pages 543-580, September.
    14. Breuer, Wolfgang & Knetsch, Andreas, 2022. "Informal authority and economic outcomes of family firms: An issue of national power distance," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    15. Gregorič, Aleksandra & Rapp, Marc Steffen & Requejo, Ignacio, 2022. "Listed family firms in Europe: Relevance, characteristics and performance," Studien, Stiftung Familienunternehmen / Foundation for Family Businesses, number 273172.
    16. Pindado, Julio & Requejo, Ignacio & de la Torre, Chabela, 2014. "Family control, expropriation, and investor protection: A panel data analysis of Western European corporations," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 58-74.
    17. Johan Eklund & Johanna Palmberg & Daniel Wiberg, 2013. "Inherited corporate control and returns on investment," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 419-431, August.
    18. Inmaculada Aguiar-Diaz & María Victoria Ruiz-Mallorquí & Lourdes Trujillo, 2020. "Ownership structure and financial performance of Spanish port service companies," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 22(4), pages 674-698, December.
    19. Markin, Erik T. & Skorodziyevskiy, Vitaliy & Zhu, Lina & Chrisman, James J. & Fang, Hanqing “Chevy”, 2022. "Lone-founder firms in China: Replicating Miller et al. (2007) in a different context," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 13(4).
    20. Valentina Peruzzi, 2017. "Does family ownership structure affect investment-cash flow sensitivity? Evidence from Italian SMEs," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(43), pages 4378-4393, September.

    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:eee:fambus:v:15:y:2024:i:4:s1877858524000391. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/719791/description#description .

    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.