CALL FOR PAPERS

2022-12-23

SPECIAL ISSUE. Entrepreneurship and Family Business: A natural symbiosis

Download PDF

The BULLETIN OF ECONOMIC STUDIES (BE) Journal: Presentation

BULLETIN OF ECONOMIC STUDIES (BE) is a peer-reviewed and Open Access journal (https://bee.revistas.deusto.es/) that publishes since 1942, in Spanish and English, original manuscripts that primarily aim at disseminating knowledge and promoting the transference of research outputs in economics and business management.

Specifically, this journal seeks a deepening into the practical contributions and implications that are relevant, not only to the academia, but also -and especially- to an international professional audience in the economics and management arena. Indeed, BEE pursues submissions that convey the transference of cutting-edge from authors that have recently developed research works (publications in top-ranked academic journals -preferably, Q1&Q2 Scopus/WoS- or competitive research projects), in a style and language oriented to the community of managers or practitioners from different areas of management and economics. As stated in the BEE's editorial policy and author guide, contributions must be between 2,500 and 5,000 words (excluding references, tables or graphs), emphasizing implications and practical lessons learned.

The Bulletin of Economic Studies is edited by Deusto Business Alumni (DBA) (https://www.alumnidba.es/), the community where Deusto Business School Alumni gather. This community is made up of 7,000 people who work in more than 2,700 different companies, covering the whole range of positions and areas. In 2022 Deusto Business Alumni celebrates 100 years of life. The Association was born with the purpose of fostering the spirit of collaboration among its members and after all these years, it continues to be its primary value.

SPECIAL ISSUE: Entrepreneurship and Family Business: A natural symbiosis

Introduction

The individual entrepreneurial behaviour is often originated in the family context. Likewise, there is no family business without entrepreneurs. Many organizations that grow and sustain their activities across time are family businesses whose entrepreneurial and creative soul has not been limited to the founder but has been transmitted and adopted from generation to generation. In fact, in these companies, the entrepreneurial and creative soul is destined to be transmitted intergenerationally not only within, but also outside the borders of the family business, as well as inside and outside the borders of the family itself (Benavides-Salazar et al. al., 2022). Despite this symbiosis, much of what we know about the family business has emerged from the study of established organizations, while most entrepreneurship studies ignore the role of the family in this creative phenomenon.

The relevance of family businesses in the business context is evident both in the United States, where it represents up to 64% of GDP (Astrachan and Shanker, 2003), and in Europe, where they can reach up to 90% of companies (Corbetta and Salvato, 2012). In Spain, it accounts for 89% of companies and it is estimated that at least 84% of those located in the Basque Country are family-run (Corona, 2015). Additionally, most of the new businesses that are created are linked somehow to the family. For example, in a recent study, on average, 75% of entrepreneurs across 48 countries stated that family was involved in owning and/or managing their new businesses (Kelley et al., 2020). In Spain, family’s participation in the ownership and/or management of the business reaches 76.3% of the entrepreneurial population and, for 13.3% of this, one of the reasons for starting the new business was to continue a tradition family (Peña-Legazkue et al., 2020).

However, the data is not always encouraging. In recent years, entrepreneurial activity has decreased in the closest environment (according to the Entrepreneurship Observatory of Spain, 2022, the entrepreneurial population at the national level went from 6.2% in 2017 to 5.5% in 2021; while, at the level of the Basque Country, went from 5.8% to 4.9% in the same period). Similarly, the news of family (and non-family) companies letting their shares in the hands of investment funds or multinationals is disturbing. Without decision-making power, we do not control our future, but without size we will not be able to sustain ourselves in the market either.

The family business is one of the forms of entrepreneurship success and, therefore, instead of confronting both figures, they should be mutually enhanced. Both contribute to the dynamism of the territory, as well as to its wealth and well-being. Consequently, it is of the highest interest to enhance their synergies since the business family is a natural incubator for entrepreneurs and the latter are the origin of the family business.

In this sense, providing us with a space where businessmen and entrepreneurs find stability, momentum and support will increase the commitment and contribution of family businesses and entrepreneurs to their environment. What factors are behind the roots of business families in the territory? How to promote the businesswoman-entrepreneur family symbiosis? How to promote (intra)entrepreneurship from existing family businesses?

This issue addresses these and other issues related to entrepreneurship, the business family and the family business from a holistic perspective that covers the following areas of knowledge:

  • The rooting of business families: What factors are relevant to anchor business families to the territory? To what extent is proximity to the territory a rooting factor? How to transfer rooting between generations?
  • The entrepreneurial ecosystem and the family business: How to promote the business-entrepreneur family symbiosis? What ecosystem conditions favour the entrepreneurial family business? How can the business family promote the entrepreneurial spirit within the family? And outside the business family? With what mechanisms will it do it? What role do the different agents involved in the entrepreneurial ecosystem play in the family business? What institutional factors beyond the ecosystem influence the entrepreneurial behaviour of the family business?
  • Entrepreneurial teams: Are there differences between entrepreneurial teams of family and non-family businesses? What role do family ties play in entrepreneurial teams? How does the family affect the homogeneity and heterogeneity of entrepreneurial teams? What characteristics or profile do the members of entrepreneurial teams of family businesses have?
  • Intra-entrepreneurship: Intra-entrepreneurship versus corporate entrepreneurship in family businesses? Do intrapreneurship strategies differ between family and non-family businesses? What barriers or challenges does (intra)entrepreneurship face in family businesses? How to promote (intra)entrepreneurship from existing family businesses?

References

Astrachan, J. H., & Shanker, M. C. (2003). Family businesses’ contribution to the US economy: a closer look. Family Business Review, 16(3), 211–219.

Benavides-Salazar, C., Iturrioz-Landart, C., Aragón-Amonarriz, C., & Ibáñez-Romero, A. (2021). The role of entrepreneurial families in entrepreneurial ecosystems: the family social capital approach. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 14(6), 1001-1032.

Corona, J. (2015). Empresa familiar: análisis estratégico. Instituto de la Empresa Familiar, Madrid.

Corbetta, G., & Salvato, C. (2012). Strategies for longevity in family firms: a European perspective. Palgrave Macmillan.

Kelley, D., Gartner, W. B., Allen, M. (2020). Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Family Business Report. Babson Park: Babson College Press, Babson Park, MA.

Observatorio del Emprendimiento de España (2022). Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. Informe GEM España 2021-2022. Ed. Universidad de Cantabria.

Peña, I., Guerrero, M., González-Pernía, J. L., y Montero, J. (2020). Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. Informe GEM España 2019-2020. Santander: Ed. Universidad de Cantabria.

 Guest editors

Cristina Aragón (cristina.aragon@deusto.es)
Associate Professor- Management Departament - Deusto Business School (University of Deusto).

José Luis González Pernía (gonzalez-pernia@deusto.es)
Associate Professor- Management Departament - Deusto Business School (University of Deusto).

Submission

Contributions to this Special Issue should be submitted through the BEE platform https://bee.revistas.deusto.es/about/submissions  following the directions below:

  • The corresponding author must sign in https://bee.revistas.deusto.es and submit an Anonymous version of the work and a title page including: work title and authors, following the journal authors guide.
  • Please feel free to contact the Editorial Team of the Journal to discuss your ideas and proposals at the following mail address: beejournal@deusto.es

Publication on the Special Issue

In addition to the open digital edition of the special issue that will be published openly at https://bee.revistas.deusto.es, the accepted papers will be printed on paper in the first quarter of 2024 and 6,000 printed copies will be sent to the DBA community.

A selection of the contributions not published in this special issue may be published in Deusto Business Open Alumni (https://www.alumnidba.es/), an open digital platform for the dissemination and exchange of knowledge, experiences and research in economics and management of Deusto Business Alumni.