Research Insight

This type of article provides practical advice and takeaways based on previously published research articles in other journals. It is written in a journalistic, accessible style that is easily understood by non-academic audiences.


Social Entrepreneurs Benefit From Better Business Fluency

The greatest value incubators can offer social entrepreneurs is training in the language, norms, and rules of business. A new generation of entrepreneurial incubators and accelerators focused Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Authors: Shinwon Noh , David Deeds , Michelle Augustyn and Imran Chowdhury

CEOs Who've Been Mentored Achieve Better Financial Results

Family firms where the departing CEO has mentored the successor enjoyed stronger return on assets.  EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was produced in partnership with Strategic Entrepreneurship Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Authors: Fabio Quarato , Maria J. Sanchez-Bueno , Domenico Cambrea , Fernando Muñoz-Bullon and Mario Daniele Amore

Merging With Another Family Firm is Safer and Smarter

Family business mergers enjoy greater harmony and better financial performance than mergers involving non-family firms. Mergers and acquisitions represent one of the most significant strategic Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Authors: Francesco Chirico , Robert E Hoskisson , Seemantini Pathak and Massimo Baù

Your Dark Side Can Motivate You to Start a Business

Traits like Machiavellianism and psychopathy can influence a person to start a venture, above and beyond more benign factors like being extroverted or agreeable.  Which personality traits make Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Authors: Benjamin McLarty , Vitaliy Skorodziyevskiy and Jeffrey Muldoon

Nonfamily CEOs Are Most Vulnerable in the Middle Stage of Their Tenure

Family businesses tend to give all CEOs time to prove themselves, but are tougher on outsiders who don’t deliver results after a few years.  EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was produced in Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Authors: Wei Shen , Cecilia Gu and Lin-Hua Lu

Can a Female CEO Lead to More Diversity at the Top?

At family firms, decisions are often shaped by traditions, preferences, or informal dynamics that are not easy to override, even for the CEO. Research has shown that gender-diverse leadership can Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Authors: Paola Rovelli and Marco Mismetti

Your CEO Affects How Outsiders Perceive Your Brand

Family or non-family leader? Your choice depends on the age of the firm, and can ultimately shape how the media and outside stakeholders see you.  EDITOR‘S NOTE: This article was produced in Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Authors: Carlotta Benedetti , Paola Rovelli , Andrea Fronzetti Colladon , Alfredo De Massis and Kurt Matzler

Using Humble Language Can Drive Market Success

Businesses in trouble can reap benefits by displaying humility – but the rules differ for family and non-family firms. Across the United States, both family-run and nonfamily-run businesses have Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Authors: Paul Sanchez , Robert Pidduck , Duygu Phillips and Josh Daspit

Why Some Job Seekers Avoid Family Firms

Family firm branding can make a company appear authentic, but it's also important to convey innovativeness, prestige, and a fair shot at getting ahead.  While approximately 75% of new jobs Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Authors: Duygu Phillips , Kristen Madison , Sandra Wolf , Andreas Hack and Franz Kellermanns

Generational Experiences Shape Family Business Leaders' Priorities

Beliefs about success, responsibility, and value creation reflect the time and place in which business owners grew up. Religion and strong family ties magnified the impact. Family business leaders Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Authors: Ileana Maldonado , Paul Sanchez and Annaleena Parhankangas