The pervasive effects of family on entrepreneurship: toward a family embeddedness perspective

Based on a review of 217 refereed articles on family business studies, the literature is organized according to its focus on individual, interpersonal or group, organizational, and societal levels of analyses. An assessment of the status of our current understanding at each level is provided and directions for future research are suggested. A discussion of definitional issues, bases of distinctiveness, and family firm performance is used to help understand the domain or scope of the field. Methodological issues and strategies aimed to enhance the pace at which the field achieves a distinctive legitimate place in organizational studies are presented.

An Overview of the Field of Family Business Studies: Current Status and Directions for the Future

This article proposes an alternative method for assessing the extent of family influence on any enterprise, enabling the measurement of the impact of family on outcomes such as success, failure, strategy, and operations. This proposed method, utilizing a standardized and valid instrument— the F-PEC—enables the assessment of family influence on a continuous scale rather than restrict its use as a categorical (e.g., yes/no) variable. The F-PEC comprises three subscales: power, experience, and culture. This article discusses these scales in detail.

The F-PEC Scale of Family Influence: A Proposal for Solving the Family Business Definition Problem

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities have the potential to create stronger relationships between firms and stakeholders. Although marketing researchers have studied the impacts of CSR activities on stakeholder responses, the CSR activities and outcomes measured have been varied and inconsistent. In this article we (a) review the extant literature to outline which CSR activities and outcomes have been included in previous research; (b) synthesize the means by which CSR activities can add value for consumers and how these have been represented in CSR literature, and; (c) present a research agenda for future research to allow greater consistency among CSR researchers.

How can corporate social responsibility activities create value for stakeholders? A systematic review

For a solution to the family business definition dilemma, we propose the application of a scale that assesses the extent and the quality of family influence via the measurement of three dimensions: Power, Experience, and Culture. The Family Influence on Power, Experience, and Culture (F-PEC) scale is tested rigorously, utilizing a sample of more than 1,000 randomly selected companies, through the application of exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic techniques. The scale demonstrates high levels of reliability. F-PEC has been applied in a number of studies, contributing to theory development, particularly in terms of the impact of family influence on distinct resources, and as a source of competitive advantage.

The F–PEC Scale of Family Influence: Construction, Validation, and Further Implication for Theory:

Generation Y, children born to baby‐boomers, is widely considered to be the next big generation. Businesses are therefore struggling to find ways to capture a piece of this market. Could cause‐related marketing be the answer? Employs an experimental design to examine how college‐age Generation Y consumers respond to a cause‐related marketing (CRM) offer based on four structural elements. Also examines the potential impacts of socio‐demographic characteristics of participants. The results indicate that a CRM offer is more likely to elicit a more positive response to a disaster cause than an ongoing cause when businesses use non‐transaction‐based and long‐term/frequent support. Finds that females, social science majors, parents’ annual income and previous donation activity have significant impact on the evaluation of a CRM offer. There is a positive relationship between evaluation of a CRM offer and purchase intent toward the offer.

Cause related marketing: how generation y responds

This paper presents U.S. prevalence figures and their relationship to various family business definitions offered in literature to date. The percentage of households that own at least one family business where its owner or manager resides in the residential familyqhousehold was 13.8%. Results yielded a 10.0% prevalence rate for households having a business that qualified for this 1997 National Family Business Survey. The level of prevalence was shown to be associated with gender, ownershipqmanagement, involvement of family members, and generation of owner. These findings are useful for refining family business definitions. This paper also offers implications for future research, teaching, and practice relative to family businesses.

The Prevalence of Family Business from a Household Sample

A survey of Vermont small businesses with less than 20 employees was conducted to examine their retirement plan participation and needs for information. Results from 828 small business owners indic...

Small Business Retirement Plan Participation and Needs for Information: Evidence from a Survey in Vermont

A survey of Vermont agricultural and small business owners and managers was conducted to examine their retirement plans and needs for information. Results from 828 respondents indicate that 42% of them do not have any retirement plan and 45% of the surveyed businesses do not offer any retirement plan for their employees. Results also suggest that most small business owners and managers who do not have a retirement plan are not very interested in more information on retirement planning.

Elizabeth Trent

Papers

Cause related marketing: how generation y responds

The Prevalence of Family Business from a Household Sample

Small Business Retirement Plan Participation and Needs for Information: Evidence from a Survey in Vermont

Agricultural and Small Business Retirement Plans and Needs for Information: Evidence from a Vermont Survey