Purpose – This paper is the first in a regular series of articles in JFBM that will share “a conversation with” thought leaders who are active in the family business space. The world of family business is, like many other arenas, constantly evolving and as the authors learn more about how...

Purpose – This editorial seeks to provide an outline and reasoning for the launch of the new Journal of Family Business Management ( JFBM ). The paper explains how the family business subject area has developed in previous years and highlights the authors' views on where the subject needs to...

Purpose – This editorial aims to provide an overview of the current state of research in the UK and proposes some future directions for research for family business scholars. Design/methodology/approach – This article is an editorial with commentary about recent developments in understanding...

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify the key determinants which inhibit intra-family business succession. The study also explores the effects these determinants have on preventing intra-family business succession. Finally, the study explores the probability that intra-family business...

Purpose The objective of this study is to explain family firm payout decisions based on socioemotional wealth (SEW) considerations. Design/methodology/approach A sample of publicly listed Canadian companies is examined for the period from 2003 to 2008. Distinguishing family firms from nonfamily...

Purpose Our purpose is to explore the case of divorce in family business from a legal perspective and highlight the problems of applying family law in the family business context. Design/methodology/approach We rely on legal analysis and interviews with estate distribution executors to discuss...

Purpose This paper considers the association between family firms and managerial discretion, hypothesising that a higher degree of family ownership may decrease the conflict of interest between owners and managers, thus avoiding the risk of discretionary actions by the latter....

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how family firms in general, and founder- and descendant-led firms in particular, espouse long-term oriented goals of continuity, perseverance and futurity in their narratives. Design/methodology/approach Primary data from 11 founder-led and 13...

Purpose – This editorial aims to investigate the interface between gendered processes and family business by exploring the extent to which gendered processes are reinforced (or not) in family business operations and dynamics. This approach will complement the agency and resource-based view...