Title: Are family firms fit for innovation? Towards an agenda for empirical research

Authors: Dietmar Roessl, Matthias Fink, Sascha Kraus

Addresses: WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, Research Institute for Co-operation and Co-operatives, Augasse 2-6, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. ' WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, Institute for Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship, Augasse 2-6, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. ' University of Liechtenstein, Furst-Franz-Josef-Strasse, FL-9490 Vaduz, Liechtenstein

Abstract: Based on a comprehensive literature review, we seek to understand the readiness and ability of family firms to innovate and track the innovativeness of family businesses back to their characteristics as a basis for future empirical research. For this, we contrast the characteristics of family firms with the premises of innovation. The resulting profile of fit and misfit allows for the identification of aspects that both promote and hinder innovation in family firms. The identified aspects are condensed to a model which may be used to structure future empirical research on innovation in family firms.

Keywords: innovation; innovativeness; theory-building; empirical research; family businesses; fit; misfit; entrepreneurial venturing; business ventures; entrepreneurs; entrepreneurship; entrepreneurialism; family firms.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEV.2010.037118

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing, 2010 Vol.2 No.3/4, pp.366 - 380

Published online: 25 Nov 2010 *

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