Generational Sucession as a trigger for Family Business Internationalization

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2012

Authors

Raquel Meneses (Author) FEP; Ricardo Coutinho (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Economics and Management Research Projects: An International Journal

Vol. 2 No. 1

Pages: 1-17

ISSN: 2184-0309

Publisher: Open Access International Journals

Other information

Abstract (EN): For many individuals the two most important dimensions in their lives are family and work and, as such, it is understandable the potential of family firms. One of the barriers this type of business has to face is the succession. This process is regarded as key stage in the life of a family business and, as a result of this importance, has been one of the topics most addressed in the literature. At the same time, family businesses are commonly described as having a lower propensity to internationalize. Actually, the born-again global phenomenon has gained increasing importance. This concept refers to companies that, after many years focused on the domestic market, suddenly embrace in an internationalization process. The present research aims to bring together the phenomenon of born-again global with family business reality. Using the grounded methodology we developed an exploratory study, analyzing six companies in which the successions lead to the beginning of internationalization and we find a bridge linking succession and born-again global firms: the successor appears as a critical factor to the internationalization process, years after of a national scope of activity.

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific