The business family in family science: A systematic review and opportunities for building bridges to family business research

Description

After more than 30 years of dedicated research, the field of family business has transitioned into a phase of differentiation, with a growing emphasis on the need to focus on the business family. While significant attention has been paid to the business system, there remains a gap in understanding the dynamics of business families in relation to business and family outcomes. This article aims to bridge this gap by presenting a systematic literature review (n = 109 articles) that consolidates research on business families within family science, our adjacent field. By reviewing key findings from family science (condensed in nine thematic clusters), theoretical perspectives on business families, methods applied, and definitions of the business family, this article provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of research. Furthermore, it attempts to build bridges between family science and family business research and identifies future research directions. The findings underscore the need for family business researchers to integrate insights from family science to enhance their understanding and inform future research about business families, fostering a disciplined integration and informed pluralism between the two fields.

Period	30 Sept 2024 → 1 Oct 2024
Event title	19th EIASM workshop on family firm management research
Event type	Conference
Location	SpainShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International