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The Performance of Italian Family Firms

Author

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  • Favero, Carlo A.
  • Panunzi, Fausto
  • Giglio, Stefano
  • Honorati, Maddalena

Abstract

In this paper, we study the performance of Italian listed family firms in the period 1998-2003. We measure their performance by using both accounting and market data. We first study the relative performance of family firms compared to widely held firms. Then we investigate whether performance is affected by the type of family firm (i.e., whether the CEO is a member of the family or is an outsider). We find that the data and the methodology used to measure performance strongly affect the results. When performance is measured by accounting data (ROA), using a static model, we find evidence in favour of a superior performance of family firms. Such evidence is not confirmed by the application of the same model to market measures of performance. However, we report statistical evidence that the correct econometric specification for market data is a dynamic model. The results of estimation of the dynamic model for the market measures of performance are more consistent with those based on the static model for the accounting measures of performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Favero, Carlo A. & Panunzi, Fausto & Giglio, Stefano & Honorati, Maddalena, 2006. "The Performance of Italian Family Firms," CEPR Discussion Papers 5786, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:5786
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Randall Morck & David Stangeland & Bernard Yeung, 2000. "Inherited Wealth, Corporate Control, and Economic Growth The Canadian Disease?," NBER Chapters, in: Concentrated Corporate Ownership, pages 319-372, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    Cited by:

    1. Navaretti, Giorgio Barba & Faini, Riccardo & Tucci, Alessandra, 2008. "Does family control affect trade performance?: evidence for Italian firms," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 28509, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Marco Cucculelli & Lidia Mannarino & Valeria Pupo & Fernanda Ricotta, 2014. "Owner‐Management, Firm Age, and Productivity in Italian Family Firms," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(2), pages 325-343, April.
    3. Isakov, Dušan & Weisskopf, Jean-Philippe, 2015. "Pay-out policies in founding family firms," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 330-344.
    4. Leandro D’Aurizio & Livio Romano, 2011. "Family Firms and the Great Recession: Out of Sight, Out of Mind?," Economics Working Papers ECO2011/28, European University Institute.
    5. Ilias Makris & Vasileios Giannopoulos & Efi Cheila, 2022. "Associating Company-Specific Characteristics with Ownership Structure and Performance: An Analysis of Publicly Listed Firms from Selected Countries in the Eurozone during the 2008 Financial Crisis and," Businesses, MDPI, vol. 2(4), pages 1-13, October.
    6. repec:cuf:journl:y:2013:v:14:i:3:navaretti:faini:tucci is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Isakov, Dusan & Weisskopf, Jean-Philippe, 2013. "Do not wake sleeping dogs: Pay-out policies in founding family firms," FSES Working Papers 443, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Freiburg/Fribourg Switzerland.
    8. Erbetta, Fabrizio & Menozzi, Anna & Corbetta, Guido & Fraquelli, Giovanni, 2013. "Assessing family firm performance using frontier analysis techniques: Evidence from Italian manufacturing industries," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 4(2), pages 106-117.
    9. Giorgia Giovannetti & Giorgio Ricchiuti & Margherita Velucchi, 2013. "Heterogeneity in managerial strategies and internationalization of firms: the case of Italy," ECONOMIA E POLITICA INDUSTRIALE, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2013(2), pages 51-66.
    10. Bianco, Madga & Golinelli, Roberto & Parigi, Giuseppe, 2009. "Family firms and investments," MPRA Paper 19247, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Garcia-Castro, Roberto & Aguilera, Ruth V., 2014. "Family involvement in business and financial performance: A set-theoretic cross-national inquiry," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 5(1), pages 85-96.
    12. Giorgio Barba Navaretti & Matteo Bugamelli & Riccardo Cristadoro & Daniela Maggioni, 2012. "Are firms exporting to China and India different from other exporters?," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 112, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    13. Maria Rosaria Carillo & Vincenzo Lombardo & Alberto Zazzaro, 2013. "Family Firm Connections and Entrepreneurial Human Capital in the Process of Development," Mo.Fi.R. Working Papers 89, Money and Finance Research group (Mo.Fi.R.) - Univ. Politecnica Marche - Dept. Economic and Social Sciences.
    14. Achleitner, Ann-Kristin & Braun, Reiner & Kaserer, Christoph & Jarchow, Svenja & Keppler, Henry & Szewczyk, Justin, 2019. "Börsennotierte Familienunternehmen in Deutschland: Bedeutung, Merkmale, Performance," Studien, Stiftung Familienunternehmen / Foundation for Family Businesses, number 250033.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Family firms; Corporate performance; Management style;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill

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