Innovation Motives in Family Firms: A Transgenerational View. (March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Diaz-Moriana, Vanessa; Clinton, Eric; Kammerlander, Nadine; Lumpkin, G. T.; Craig, Justin B.
• Is Part Of: Entrepreneurship theory and practice. Volume 44:Number 2(2020)
• Page Start: 256
• Page End: 287
• Publication Date: 2020-03
• Subjects: innovation -- long-term orientation -- family business -- transgenerational entrepreneurship; Small business -- Periodicals; New business enterprises -- Periodicals; Entrepreneurship -- Periodicals; 658.421
• DOI: 10.1177/1042258718803051
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1042-2587

Abstract

Drawing on the transgenerational entrepreneurship perspective, we employ a multiple case study approach to investigate why multigenerational family firms innovate. The data collection process drew upon five in-depth cases comprising 42 semistructured interviews, 25 participant observations, and several thousand pages of historical data dating from 1916 to 2017. We find patterns on how the firms' long-term view—embracing both the past and the future—influences the innovation motives of these firms. Specifically, we identify three innovation patterns: conserving, persisting and legacy-building . We introduce a set of propositions and a framework linking long-term orientation dimensions to innovation motives and innovation outcomes. Our research thus contributes to a more fine-grained understanding of innovation behavior in family firms.