We apply the resource-based view of the firm to the study of family firms by investigating how a family specific resource (reciprocal altruism) and a firm specific resource (innovative capacity) contribute to family firm performance. We then examine how the impact of these resources is moderated...

Analysis of Japanese trading companies suggests that would-be U.S. trading companies could be emulate Japan's special, rather than general, trading companies. Factors likely to lead to success are: offering narrow high-margin product lines in geographically diversified markets; integration with...