How much Family is necessary? The Impact of the Family on Firm Growth

This paper investigates how different kinds of family involvement as well as family relationships impact family firm growth. Prior research studies examining family firm performance have found varying empirical evidence. Although studies investigating family firm performance have extensively discussed the crucial role the family definition plays, little research exists on how different kinds of family relationships (i.e. the involvement of siblings, spouses or parents with children) prevalent within the family firm influence firm growth. The results reveal that there is indeed a difference in firm growth depending on which family relationship is prevalent within the family firm.