The Temporal Evolution of Proactiveness in Family Firms: The Horizontal S-Curve Hypothesis

Abstract

We extend prior work on proactiveness in family firms by examining the relationship between firm age and proactiveness. Specifically, we propose an S-shaped effect of aging of family firms on proactiveness. Additionally, we provide a contingency perspective by considering the moderating role of the dispersion of managerial control among family members. Using a sample of Swiss family firms, we find that proactiveness first declines, then increases, and finally decreases again as the family firm ages, and that this relationship is steeper when the managerial control is dispersed among multiple family members.

Keywords

ProactivityContingencySample (material)Control (management)Perspective (graphical)BusinessContingency theoryDemographic economicsIndustrial organizationPsychologyKnowledge managementSocial psychologyEconomicsComputer scienceManagement

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Publication Info

Year: 2014
Type: article
Citations: 10
Access: Closed

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APA Style

                            
                                    Alfredo De Massis, 
                                
                                    Francesco Chirico, 
                                
                                    Josip Kotlar
                                
                                et al.
                            
                            (2014). 
                            The Temporal Evolution of Proactiveness in Family Firms: The Horizontal S-Curve Hypothesis. 
                            Lancaster EPrints (Lancaster University)
                            
                            .