IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/mgtdec/v47y2026i6p1425-1440.html

Professionalization as a Factor of Heterogeneity in Family and Nonfamily Firms: Effects on Performance

Author

Listed:
  • Javier Ortiz
  • Ana F. Gargallo‐Castel

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between firm ownership and organizational performance with a focus on heterogeneity in the professionalization of management. Using a comprehensive panel dataset of Spanish manufacturing firms, the study identifies significant ownership‐ and management model‐related differences in productive efficiency. The results reveal that while family firms are marginally less productive than nonfamily firms, professionalized management substantially enhances their performance, putting it above that of professionally managed nonfamily firms. The results indicate that external management effectively addresses agency problems and mitigates asymmetrical altruism issues in family firms while simultaneously leveraging their inherent strengths, such as concentrated ownership and alignment of interests. As such, the best outcomes are achieved by combining family ownership and professionalized management. This conclusion underscores the importance of accounting for both ownership structure and heterogeneity in management models in the study of firm efficiency. Additionally, these insights have practical economic implications, suggesting that the strategic separation of ownership and management could unlock new avenues to improve organizational performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Javier Ortiz & Ana F. Gargallo‐Castel, 2026. "Professionalization as a Factor of Heterogeneity in Family and Nonfamily Firms: Effects on Performance," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 47(6), pages 1425-1440, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:mgtdec:v:47:y:2026:i:6:p:1425-1440
    DOI: 10.1002/mde.70107
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/mde.70107
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/mde.70107?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Emmanuel Duguet, 2006. "Innovation height, spillovers and tfp growth at the firm level: Evidence from French manufacturing," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(4-5), pages 415-442.
    2. Coricelli, Fabrizio & Driffield, Nigel & Pal, Sarmistha & Roland, Isabelle, 2012. "When does leverage hurt productivity growth? A firm-level analysis," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 1674-1694.
    3. 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.
    4. Gareth Anderson & Mr. Mehdi Raissi, 2018. "Corporate Indebtedness and Low Productivity Growth of Italian Firms," IMF Working Papers 2018/033, International Monetary Fund.
    5. Lucia Naldi & Carmelo Cennamo & Guido Corbetta & Luis Gomez–Mejia, 2013. "Preserving Socioemotional Wealth in Family Firms: Asset or Liability? The Moderating Role of Business Context," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 37(6), pages 1341-1360, November.
    6. Andrea Bassanini & Thomas Breda & Eve Caroli & Antoine Rebérioux, 2013. "Working in Family Firms: Paid Less but More Secure? Evidence from French Matched Employer-Employee Data," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 66(2), pages 433-466, April.
    7. Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert W, 1986. "Large Shareholders and Corporate Control," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 94(3), pages 461-488, June.
    8. Waldkirch, Matthias, 2020. "Non-family CEOs in family firms: Spotting gaps and challenging assumptions for a future research agenda," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 11(1).
    9. Morikawa, Masayuki, 2013. "Productivity and survival of family firms in Japan," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 111-125.
    10. James Heckman, 2013. "Sample selection bias as a specification error," Applied Econometrics, Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 31(3), pages 129-137.
    11. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 2008. "Theory of the firm: managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," RAE - Revista de Administração de Empresas, FGV-EAESP Escola de Administração de Empresas de São Paulo (Brazil), vol. 48(2), April.
    12. Michael Carney & Marc Van Essen & Eric R. Gedajlovic & Pursey P.M.A.R. Heugens, 2015. "What do we know about Private Family Firms? A Meta–Analytical Review," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(3), pages 513-544, May.
    13. Poutziouris, Panikkos & Savva, Christos S. & Hadjielias, Elias, 2015. "Family involvement and firm performance: Evidence from UK listed firms," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 6(1), pages 14-32.
    14. Chrisman, James J. & Chua, Jess H. & Kellermanns, Franz W. & Chang, Erick P.C., 2007. "Are family managers agents or stewards? An exploratory study in privately held family firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 60(10), pages 1030-1038, October.
    15. Field, Alexander J., 2010. "The Procyclical Behavior of Total Factor Productivity in the United States, 1890–2004," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 70(2), pages 326-350, June.
    16. Julie Dekker & Nadine Lybaert & Tensie Steijvers & Benoît Depaire, 2015. "The Effect of Family Business Professionalization as a Multidimensional Construct on Firm Performance," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(2), pages 516-538, April.
    17. repec:hal:pseose:halshs-00832786 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Maria Angeles Diaz‐Mayans & Rosario Sanchez, 2004. "Temporary employment and technical efficiency in Spain," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 25(2), pages 181-194, March.
    19. Michael Carney & Marc van Essen & Eric R. Gedajlovic & Pursey P. M. A. R. Heugens, 2015. "What Do We Know About Private Family Firms? A Meta-Analytical Review," Post-Print hal-05664429, HAL.
    20. Jaan Masso & Priit Vahter, 2008. "Technological innovation and productivity in late-transition Estonia: econometric evidence from innovation surveys," The European Journal of Development Research, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 20(2), pages 240-261.
    21. Sea-Jin Chang & Jungwook Shim, 2015. "When does transitioning from family to professional management improve firm performance?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(9), pages 1297-1316, September.
    22. Michael Lubatkin & Eric Gedajlovic & William S. Schulze, 2004. "Crossing the threshold from founder management to professional management : A governance perspective," Post-Print hal-02311640, HAL.
    23. repec:bla:jfinan:v:58:y:2003:i:3:p:1301-1327 is not listed on IDEAS
    24. James Levinsohn & Amil Petrin, 2003. "Estimating Production Functions Using Inputs to Control for Unobservables," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 70(2), pages 317-341.
    25. 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.
    26. Antonio Musolesi & Jean-Pierre Huiban, 2010. "Innovation and productivity in knowledge intensive business services," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 34(1), pages 63-81, August.
    27. Barth, Erling & Gulbrandsen, Trygve & Schonea, Pal, 2005. "Family ownership and productivity: the role of owner-management," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 11(1-2), pages 107-127, March.
    28. L.A.A. Van den Berghe & Steven Carchon, 2003. "Agency Relations within the Family Business System: an exploratory approach," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(3), pages 171-179, July.
    29. repec:dau:papers:123456789/7244 is not listed on IDEAS
    30. Alain Verbeke & Liena Kano, 2012. "The Transaction Cost Economics Theory of the Family Firm: Family–Based Human Asset Specificity and the Bifurcation Bias," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 36(6), pages 1183-1205, November.
    31. 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.
    32. 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.
    33. Eric Gedajlovic & Michael H. Lubatkin & William S. Schulze, 2004. "Crossing the Threshold from Founder Management to Professional Management: A Governance Perspective," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(5), pages 899-912, July.
    34. Pollak, Robert A, 1985. "A Transaction Cost Approach to Families and Households," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 23(2), pages 581-608, June.
    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. James J. Chrisman & Esra Memili & Kaustav Misra, 2014. "Nonfamily Managers, Family Firms, and the Winner's Curse: The Influence of Noneconomic Goals and Bounded Rationality," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 38(5), pages 1-25, September.
    2. Eric Gedajlovic & Michael Carney, 2010. "Markets, Hierarchies, and Families: Toward a Transaction Cost Theory of the Family Firm," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 34(6), pages 1145-1172, November.
    3. Dau, Luis Alfonso & Purkayastha, Saptarshi & Eddleston, Kimberly A., 2020. "Who does it best? Family and nonfamily owners and leaders navigating institutional development in emerging markets," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 197-210.
    4. Alfredo De Massis & Josip Kotlar & Pietro Mazzola & Tommaso Minola & Salvatore Sciascia, 2018. "Conflicting Selves: Family Owners' Multiple Goals and Self-Control Agency Problems in Private Firms," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 42(3), pages 362-389, May.
    5. Xiao Wei & Ling Chen, 2022. "Dispersion of Family Ownership and Innovation Input in Family Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-20, July.
    6. De Massis, Alfredo & Kotlar, Josip & Campopiano, Giovanna & Cassia, Lucio, 2013. "Dispersion of family ownership and the performance of small-to-medium size private family firms," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 4(3), pages 166-175.
    7. Weiping Liu & Haibin Yang & Guangxi Zhang, 2012. "Does family business excel in firm performance? An institution-based view," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 29(4), pages 965-987, December.
    8. Mehmet Bağiş & Li̇ri̇don Kryeziu & Mehmet Nurullah Kurutkan & Besni̇k A. Krasniqi & Omer Yazici & Esra Memili, 2023. "Topics, trends and theories in family business research: 1996–2020," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1855-1891, December.
    9. Michael Carney & Marc Van Essen & Eric R. Gedajlovic & Pursey P.M.A.R. Heugens, 2015. "What do we know about Private Family Firms? A Meta–Analytical Review," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(3), pages 513-544, May.
    10. Xiaowei Rose Luo & Chi-Nien Chung, 2013. "Filling or Abusing the Institutional Void? Ownership and Management Control of Public Family Businesses in an Emerging Market," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(2), pages 591-613, April.
    11. He, Lerong, 2008. "Do founders matter? A study of executive compensation, governance structure and firm performance," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 257-279, May.
    12. Hiebl, Martin R.W., 2013. "Bean counter or strategist? Differences in the role of the CFO in family and non-family businesses," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 4(2), pages 147-161.
    13. Wright, Mike & Kellermanns, Franz W., 2011. "Family firms: A research agenda and publication guide," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 2(4), pages 187-198.
    14. Alain Verbeke & Liena Kano, 2012. "The Transaction Cost Economics Theory of the Family Firm: Family–Based Human Asset Specificity and the Bifurcation Bias," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 36(6), pages 1183-1205, November.
    15. Erbetta, Fabrizio & Menozzi, Anna & Corbetta, Guido & Fraquelli, Giovanni, 2013. "Assessing family firm performance using frontier analysis techniques: Evidence from Italian manufacturing industries," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 4(2), pages 106-117.
    16. Milova, P., 2025. "Family firms and financial performance. Evidence from Russia," Journal of the New Economic Association, New Economic Association, vol. 68(3), pages 112-144.
    17. Carney, Michael & Duran, Patricio & van Essen, Marc & Shapiro, Daniel, 2017. "Family firms, internationalization, and national competitiveness: Does family firm prevalence matter?," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 8(3), pages 123-136.
    18. 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).
    19. Cho, Jaeyoung & Miller, Danny & Lee, Jangwoo, 2018. "Too much of a good thing: Family involvement and the survival of listed Korean firms," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 9(4), pages 223-237.
    20. M. Akbar, 2008. "Do the Governance, Strategic and Organisational Practices Differ in Indian Family and Professionally Managed Firms?," Vision, , vol. 12(3), pages 15-30, July.

    More about this item

    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:wly:mgtdec:v:47:y:2026:i:6:p:1425-1440. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/jhome/7976 .

    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.