Title: Entrepreneurial settings within global family firms: research perspectives from cross-cultural knowledge management studies

Authors: Veronica Scuotto; Manlio Del Giudice; Nigel Holden; Alberto Mattiacci

Addresses: School of Business and Enterprise, University of the West of Scotland, Scotland, UK ' Department of International Business Administration, Link Campus University, Rome, Italy; National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia ' Leeds University Business School, Leeds, UK ' Department of Communication and Social Research (Coris), University of Rome, Rome, Italy

Abstract: An organisational culture is composed of beliefs that are shared by the members of a group and endure over time, even when the management team changes. These beliefs nurture new entrepreneurs, mainly in family firms in which the sense of traditions and values fuels the business growth. This is then passed on to future generations through a cross-generational culture approach. Therefore, in line with this, the present research investigates the evolution of the cross-generational culture and its effects on the entrepreneurial mindset. Following Hofstede's model, the research analysed in depth a case study of a large family firm based in southern Italy. A threefold contribution is made to the literature: first, the relevance of the evolution of family firms' culture over the generations; secondly, the enhancement of the entrepreneurial mindset, converting the family business culture into the virtual reality; and, third, the improvement of Hofstede's model, offering an action research and a different point of view of culture - based on differences not of national cultures but of generational culture.

Keywords: family firms; next generation; entrepreneurial mindset; cross-generational culture.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2017.085586

European Journal of International Management, 2017 Vol.11 No.4, pp.469 - 489

Received: 23 May 2016
Accepted: 30 Mar 2017
Published online: 31 Jul 2017 *

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