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Dividends and family governance practices in private family firms

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  • Anneleen Michiels
  • Wim Voordeckers
  • Nadine Lybaert
  • Tensie Steijvers

Abstract

Intra-familial principal–principal conflict are a relevant agency problem in privately held family firms. These conflicts of interest commonly occur between active and passive family shareholders, and require remedies different from those that deal with principal-agent conflicts. This article empirically examines whether or not firms use dividends as instruments to cope with conflicts of interest between active and passive family shareholders and how family governance practices moderate this relationship. The results show that the existence of an intra-familial conflict of interest results in a higher propensity to pay dividends and that the use of family governance practices strengthens this relationship. Additionally, the findings suggest that using family governance practices leads to a more efficient dividend policy. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Anneleen Michiels & Wim Voordeckers & Nadine Lybaert & Tensie Steijvers, 2015. "Dividends and family governance practices in private family firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 299-314, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:sbusec:v:44:y:2015:i:2:p:299-314
    DOI: 10.1007/s11187-014-9594-0
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    2. Kovermann, Jost & Wendt, Martin, 2019. "Tax avoidance in family firms: Evidence from large private firms," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 145-157.
    3. Miller, Danny & Amore, Mario Daniele & Quarato, Fabio & Corbetta, Guido, 2022. "Family Ownership Dispersion and Dividend Payout in Family Firms," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 13(3).
    4. Julia Suess-Reyes, 2017. "Understanding the transgenerational orientation of family businesses: the role of family governance and business family identity," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 87(6), pages 749-777, August.
    5. Bauweraerts, Jonathan & Sciascia, Salvatore & Naldi, Lucia & Mazzola, Pietro, 2019. "Family CEO and board service: Turning the tide for export scope in family SMEs," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(5), pages 1-1.
    6. LIN, Dan & KUO, Hsien-Chang & WANG, Lie-Huey, 2016. "Analysis Of The Relationship Between Disclosure Quality And Dividend Payouts From The Agency Theory Perspective," Studii Financiare (Financial Studies), Centre of Financial and Monetary Research "Victor Slavescu", vol. 20(1), pages 6-20.
    7. Vincent Molly & Anneleen Michiels, 2022. "Dividend decisions in family businesses: A systematic review and research agenda," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(4), pages 992-1026, September.
    8. Jonathan Bauweraerts & Julien Vandernoot, 2019. "An Exploratory Study on the Influence of Family CEOs on Tax Aggressiveness in Private Family Firms: The Moderating Role of CEO Gender and Survival Risk," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 39(1), pages 636-648.
    9. Susana Álvarez‐Díez & J. Samuel Baixauli‐Soler & María Belda‐Ruiz & Gregorio Sánchez‐Marín, 2023. "Variable selection for classification and forecasting of the family firm's socioemotional wealth," Journal of Forecasting, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(8), pages 2063-2078, December.
    10. Briano-Turrent, Guadalupe D.C. & Li, Mingsheng & Peng, Hongfeng, 2020. "The impact of family-CEOs and their demographic characteristics on dividend payouts: Evidence from Latin America," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    11. María Belda-Ruiz & Gregorio Sánchez-Marín & J. Samuel Baixauli-Soler, 2022. "Influence of family-centered goals on dividend policy in family firms: A socioemotional wealth approach," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 18(4), pages 1503-1526, December.
    12. Katrien Jansen & Anneleen Michiels & Wim Voordeckers & Tensie Steijvers, 2023. "Financing decisions in private family firms: a family firm pecking order," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 61(2), pages 495-515, August.
    13. Anneleen Michiels & Diane Arijs & Lorraine Uhlaner, 2022. "Formal HRM in family SMEs: the role of family-centered goals and family governance," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(8), pages 2553-2576, November.
    14. Unai Arzubiaga & Txomin Iturralde & Amaia Maseda & Josip Kotlar, 2018. "Entrepreneurial orientation and firm performance in family SMEs: the moderating effects of family, women, and strategic involvement in the board of directors," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 217-244, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Family firms; Dividends; Agency costs; Principal–principal conflict; Family governance; L2; L29; G35; L26;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L2 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior
    • L29 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Other
    • G35 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Payout Policy
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship

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