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The propensity toward inter-organizational cooperation in small- and medium-sized family businesses

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  • Pittino, Daniel
  • Visintin, Francesca

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to explore the propensity toward inter-organizational cooperation in small- and medium-sized family businesses as compared to non-family businesses, and to assess the factors that could influence the establishment of collaborative agreements at the family-business level. We apply transaction governance theories and resource-based views as theoretical perspectives to analyze a sample of 272 Italian family and non-family small- to medium-sized enterprises. Results suggest that family firms are less likely to establish cooperation agreements as compared to non-family firms. Among family firms, cooperation propensity is influenced both by the generation in charge and by the stage of the succession process. Our results contribute to the family business literature, indicating that the inter-organizational strategies of family firms are influenced both by the dynamics of trust formation and by the characteristics of the family-business resource configuration.

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  • Pittino, Daniel & Visintin, Francesca, 2011. "The propensity toward inter-organizational cooperation in small- and medium-sized family businesses," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 2(2), pages 57-68, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:fambus:v:2:y:2011:i:2:p:57-68
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    2. Tarja Niemelä & Reija Häkkinen, 2014. "The Role of Pluriactivity for Continuity and Survival in Family Farm Firms," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 10(4), pages 7-43.
    3. Francesco Aiello & Paola Cardamone & Lidia Mannarino & Valeria Pupo, 2023. "Networks and family firm performance: some evidence from Italy," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(5), pages 620-625, March.
    4. Della Piana, Bice & Vecchi, Alessandra & Cacia, Claudia, 2012. "Towards a better understanding of Family Business Groups and their key dimensions," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 3(3), pages 174-192.
    5. Maria Sonia Medina-Salgado & María Sacristán-Navarro & Luis Ángel Guerras-Martín, 2020. "Do Boards of Directors Really Matter in the Cooperation Behavior of Firms? An Exploratory Analysis in Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-18, December.
    6. Deferne, Marie & Bertschi-Michel, Alexandra & de Groote, Julia, 2023. "The role of trust in family business stakeholder relationships: A systematic literature review," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 14(1).
    7. Steve Kyungjae Lee, 2023. "Does “familiness” enhance or reduce firms’ willingness to engage in partnership with rivals? Empirical evidence from South Korean savings banks," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(1), pages 217-245, February.
    8. Christina Guenther & Maksim Belitski & Nada Rejeb, 2023. "Overcoming the ability-willingness paradox in small family firms’ collaborations," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 60(4), pages 1409-1429, April.
    9. Feranita, Feranita & Kotlar, Josip & De Massis, Alfredo, 2017. "Collaborative innovation in family firms: Past research, current debates and agenda for future research," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 8(3), pages 137-156.
    10. Taewoo Kim & Jennifer C. Sexton & Laura E. Marler, 2023. "Innovation as a mixed gamble in family firms: the moderating effect of inter-organizational cooperation," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 60(4), pages 1389-1408, April.
    11. Julia Vincent Ponroy & Dianne & H.B. Welsh, 2020. "Advancing Research on Creativity in Family Firms," Working Papers 2020-001, Department of Research, Ipag Business School.
    12. Pittino Daniel & Mazzurana Paola Angela Maria, 2013. "Alliance Governance and Performance in SMEs: Matching Relational and Contractual Governance with Alliance Goals," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 3(1), pages 62-83, January.
    13. Nieto, María Jesús & Santamaria, Luis & Bammens, Yannick, 2023. "Digitalization as a facilitator of open innovation: Are family firms different?," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).

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