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Beyond the Throne: Founder Role Reconfiguration in Family Business Leadership Transitions

Author

Listed:
  • Hiba El Majhed

    (FSJES Marrakech - Faculté des Sciences Juridiques, Economiques et Sociales-Marrakech)

  • Saad Boumarete

    (FSJES Marrakech - Faculté des Sciences Juridiques, Economiques et Sociales-Marrakech)

  • Abdellah Tajer

    (FSJES Marrakech - Faculté des Sciences Juridiques, Economiques et Sociales-Marrakech)

Abstract

While much research has focused on how founders enter and build entrepreneurial ventures, relatively little is known about how they transition out of formal leadership- particularly in family businesses, where their withdrawal is often partial and layered. Founders rarely disengage fully; instead, they tend to maintain a presence that blends operational retreat with symbolic or strategic influence. This paper explores the redefinition of founder roles after leadership succession, focusing on the evolving nature of their engagement. Based on a qualitative multiple case study of six Moroccan family firms, the study identifies five distinct patterns of post-leadership founder influence: heritage-based influence, bi-generational collaboration, multi-generational leadership, fraternal delegation, and posthumous institutionalization. These trajectories reflect how founders shape firm direction through emotional legacy, advisory presence, or embedded values, long after ceding formal control. The findings show that their influence may persist through informal consultation, structured co-leadership, or institutional frameworks that codify their vision. This typology moves beyond binary classifications of active versus retired founders and offers a structured way to interpret the multiple paths founders can take to remain influential. It also emphasizes the role of socioemotional wealth in maintaining family continuity, guiding decision-making, and reinforcing intergenerational cohesion. Overall, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of founder disengagement and legacy preservation in family businesses, offering implications for theory and practice in succession planning and governance. Mots-clés : Family business; Founder transitions; Post-succession influence; Role reconfiguration. Socioemotional wealth Classification JEL : L20, M10, D22 Type de l'article : Empirical Research - Recherche empirique

Suggested Citation

  • Hiba El Majhed & Saad Boumarete & Abdellah Tajer, 2025. "Beyond the Throne: Founder Role Reconfiguration in Family Business Leadership Transitions," Post-Print hal-05286671, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05286671
    DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17213427
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-05286671v1
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • L20 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - General
    • M10 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - General
    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis

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