Title: Network establishment in family firm internationalisation: a family social capital perspective

Authors: Trung Quang Dinh; Andrea Calabrò; Mariateresa Torchia

Addresses: School of Business and Science, University of Akureyri, Akureyri, Iceland ' IPAG Entrepreneurship and Family Business Center, IPAG Business School, France ' International University of Monaco, Omnes Education, Monaco

Abstract: Drawing on Family Social Capital (FSC) and network theories, this study investigates how Family Firms (FFs) identify and establish network ties with external actors in the context of internationalisation. Adopting a multiple-case study on ten large FFs internationalising to China and India, the main findings suggest that FSC guides family managers during the process of establishing network ties with external actors. Trust still plays a key role in selecting and deciding on forming network ties with external actors, even in large FFs. Furthermore, despite being non-identical across cultures, familial commonalities encourage FFs to establish strategic network relationships with one another. Nevertheless, resource dependency and industry features mitigate this tendency. During the process of increasing network centrality and network closure, family members tend to be directly involved and leverage their FSC in developing and nurturing intimate network relationships with external actors, leading to a sense of solidarity and devotion among actors within the FFs' networks.

Keywords: family social capital; family firm; family business; internationalisation; network ties; network theory; trust.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2023.133425

European Journal of International Management, 2023 Vol.21 No.2, pp.292 - 325

Received: 09 Apr 2021
Accepted: 08 Feb 2022
Published online: 15 Sep 2023 *

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