Grounded theory and succession in family businesses: an overview and some directions

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5902/1983465989004

Keywords:

Grounded theory, Family business, Management transfer, Family management, Successors

Abstract

Purpose: The study aimed to analyze research on succession in family businesses that applied Grounded Theory (GT) method and propose a research agenda.
Methodology: A systematic literature review was conducted using Scopus and Web of Science databases. Data analysis was carried out using two distinct approaches: the first explored the conceptual and theoretical aspects of the studies, while the second focused on the application of the GT method.
Findings: The analyzed studies examined succession from different perspectives, identifying four thematic clusters: Family Businesses, Successors, Family, and Grounded Theory. This research explored succession stages and processes, successor development and leadership, family roles and influence, as well as intergenerational communication, conflicts, and decision-making. Based on these clusters, a research agenda was developed that offers insights into the field of family business succession through the application of the GT method. Despite the extensive literature, studies that generate theories or strictly adhere to the fundamental principles of GT remain scarce.
Research implications: This study highlights research opportunities through the application of the GT method, contributing to a deeper understanding of the succession process in family businesses and the formulation of sustainable business policies.
Originality: This study outlines pathways for future research in this field based on the four identified thematic groups, addressing research gaps, providing insights, and fostering continued investigations to support the development of family businesses.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Noellen Silva Amorim Feuser, Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul

PhD in Administration at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul; Master in Regional Development and Production Systems and graduated in Administration from the State University of Mato Grosso do Sul. She is currently a Professor at the State University of Mato Grosso do Sul – UEMS.

Erlaine Binotto, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados

PhD in Agribusiness from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul and sandwich doctorate in The University of Queensland. She is currently Associate Professor IV at the Federal University of Grande Dourados at Postgraduate Program in Agribusiness at the Faculty of Administration, Accounting Sciences and Economics (FACE - UFGD). Leader of the research group (CNPQ): Organizations, People and Environment. Member of the Center for Research, Development and Innovation in Tourism (CiTUR) - Polytechnic Pole of Leiria – Portugal.

Lidiane Parron Gonçalves, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul

PhD in Administration from the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, with a sandwich doctorate period at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - ULPGC/ Spain. Professional Master in Public Administration from the Federal University of Grande Dourados. Federal Public Servant at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul - UFMS as administrator.

Thais Cremon, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados

PhD in Agronomy, Master in Agronomy with an emphasis on Plant Production and graduated in Agronomy from the Federal University of Grande Dourados. Visiting professor at the Postgraduate Program in Agribusiness at the Faculty of Administration, Accounting Sciences and Economics (FACE - UFGD).

References

Aldrich, H. E., Brumana, M., Campopiano, G., & Minola, T. (2021). Embedded but not asleep: Entrepreneurship and family business research in the 21st century. Journal of Family Business Strategy, 12(1), 100390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfbs.2020.100390 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfbs.2020.100390

Aria, M., & Cuccurullo, C. (2017). bibliometrix: An R-tool for comprehensive science mapping analysis. Journal of Informetrics, 11(4), 959–975. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2017.08.007 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2017.08.007

Berrone, P., Cruz, C., & Gomez-Mejia, L. R. (2012). Socioemotional Wealth in Family Firms. Family Business Review, 25(3), 258–279. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486511435355 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486511435355

Bertolozzi-Caredio, D., Bardaji, I., Coopmans, I., Soriano, B., & Garrido, A. (2020). Key steps and dynamics of family farm succession in marginal extensive livestock farming. Journal of Rural Studies, 76, 131–141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2020.04.030 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2020.04.030

Bizri, R. (2016). Succession in the family business: drivers and pathways. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 22(1), 133–154. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-01-2015-0020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-01-2015-0020

Breuer, F. (2012). Predecessor-successor transitions in institutional and interpersonal contexts: on the development of a theory of transfer of personal objects. Historical Social Research, 37(4), 223–236. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.12759/ hsr.37.2012.4.223-236

Cadieux, L., Lorrain, J., & Hugron, P. (2002). Succession in Women-Owned Family Businesses: A Case Study. Family Business Review, 15(1), 17–30. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6248.2002.00017.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6248.2002.00017.x

Cassia, L., De Massis, A., & Pizzurno, E. (2012). Strategic innovation and new product development in family firms. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 18(2), 198–232. https://doi.org/10.1108/13552551211204229 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/13552551211204229

Cater, J. J., & Justis, R. T. (2009). The Development of Successors From Followers to Leaders in Small Family Firms. Family Business Review, 22(2), 109–124. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486508327822 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486508327822

Cater, J. J., Kidwell, R. E., & Camp, K. M. (2016). Successor Team Dynamics in Family Firms. Family Business Review, 29(3), 301–326. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486516656255 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486516656255

Claßen, C. A. E., & Schulte, R. (2017). How do conflicts impact change in family businesses? The family system and familiness as a catalytic converter of change. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 30(7), 1198–1212. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-04-2016-0071 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-04-2016-0071

Coopmans, I., Dessein, J., Accatino, F., Antonioli, F., Bertolozzi-Caredio, D., Gavrilescu, C., Gradziuk, P., Manevska-Tasevska, G., Meuwissen, M., Peneva, M., Pettit, A., Urquhart, J., & Wauters, E. (2021). Understanding farm generational renewal and its influencing factors in Europe. Journal of Rural Studies, 86, 398–409. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2021.06.023

Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2015). Basics of qualitative research: techniques and procedures for developing Grounded Theory. SAGE.

Daspit, J. J., Chrisman, J. J., Ashton, T., & Evangelopoulos, N. (2021). Family Firm Heterogeneity: A Definition, Common Themes, Scholarly Progress, and Directions Forward. Family Business Review, 34(3), 296–322. https://doi.org/10.1177/08944865211008350 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/08944865211008350

De Massis, A., Frattini, F., Majocchi, A., & Piscitello, L. (2018). Family firms in the global economy: Toward a deeper understanding of internationalization determinants, processes, and outcomes. Global Strategy Journal, 8(1), 3–21. https://doi.org/10.1002/gsj.1199 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/gsj.1199

De Massis, A., Frattini, F., Pizzurno, E., & Cassia, L. (2015). Product Innovation in Family versus Nonfamily Firms: An Exploratory Analysis. Journal of Small Business Management, 53(1), 1–36. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsbm.12068 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jsbm.12068

Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989). Building Theories from Case Study Research. Academy of Management Review, 14(4), 532–550. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1989.4308385 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/258557

Gagné, M., Marwick, C., Brun de Pontet, S., & Wrosch, C. (2021). Family Business Succession: What’s Motivation Got to Do with It? Family Business Review, 34(2), 154–167. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486519894759 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486519894759

Handler, W. C. (1990). Succession in Family Firms: A Mutual Role Adjustment between Entrepreneur and Next-generation Family Members. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 15(1), 37–52. https://doi.org/10.1177/104225879001500105 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/104225879001500105

Hopfer, K. R., & Maciel-Lima, S. M. (2008). Grounded Theory: avaliação crítica do método nos estudos organizacionais. Rev. FAE, 11(2), 15–24.

Kammerlander, N. (2022). Family business and business family questions in the 21st century: Who develops SEW, how do family members create value, and who belongs to the family? Journal of Family Business Strategy, 13(2), 100470. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfbs.2021.100470 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfbs.2021.100470

Kudlats, J., McDowell, W. C., & Mahto, R. V. (2019). Unrelated but together: Trust and intergroup relations in multi-family businesses. Journal of Business Research, 101, 750–756. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.12.073 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.12.073

Leiß, G., & Zehrer, A. (2018). Intergenerational communication in family firm succession. Journal of Family Business Management, 8(1), 75–90. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFBM-09-2017-0025 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JFBM-09-2017-0025

Liu, J. (2018). An Integrative Conceptual Framework for Sustainable Successions in Family Businesses: The Case of Taiwan. Sustainability, 10(10), 3656. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10103656 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su10103656

Lo, F.-Y., Rey-Martí, A., & Botella-Carrubi, D. (2020). Research methods in business: Quantitative and qualitative comparative analysis. Journal of Business Research, 115, 221–224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.05.003 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.05.003

Locke, K. D. (2001). Grounded Theory in Management Research. SAGE Publications.

Miller, D., & Le Breton-Miller, I. (2006). Family Governance and Firm Performance: Agency, Stewardship, and Capabilities. Family Business Review, 19(1), 73–87. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6248.2006.00063.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6248.2006.00063.x

Miller, D., Le Breton‐Miller, I., & Scholnick, B. (2007). Stewardship vs. stagnation: An empirical comparison of small family and non‐family businesses. Journal of management studies, 45(1), 51-78. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2007.00718.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2007.00718.x

Murphy, L., Huybrechts, J., & Lambrechts, F. (2019). The Origins and Development of Socioemotional Wealth Within Next-Generation Family Members: An Interpretive Grounded Theory Study. Family Business Review, 32(4), 396–424. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486519890775 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486519890775

Nunns, H., & Cameron, A. (2004). Participation of Female Family Members in New Zealand Family Businesses. Small Enterprise Research, 12(2), 23–33. https://doi.org/10.5172/ser.12.2.23 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5172/ser.12.2.23

Rondi, E., De Massis, A., & Kotlar, J. (2019). Unlocking innovation potential: A typology of family business innovation postures and the critical role of the family system. Journal of Family Business Strategy, 10(4), 100236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfbs.2017.12.001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfbs.2017.12.001

Sale, J. E. M., & Thielke, S. (2018). Qualitative research is a fundamental scientific process. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 102, 129–133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2018.04.024 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2018.04.024

Salvato, C., & Corbetta, G. (2013). Transitional Leadership of Advisors as a Facilitator of Successors’ Leadership Construction. Family Business Review, 26(3), 235–255. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486513490796 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486513490796

Schulze, W. S., Lubatkin, M. H., Dino, R. N., & Buchholtz, A. K. (2001). Agency Relationships in Family Firms: Theory and Evidence. Organization Science, 12(2), 99–116. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.12.2.99.10114 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.12.2.99.10114

Sharma, P., Chrisman, J. J., & Gersick, K. E. (2012). 25 Years of Family Business Review. Family Business Review, 25(1), 5–15. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486512437626 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486512437626

Sharma, P., Chrisman, J. J., Pablo, A. L., & Chua, J. H. (2001). Determinants of Initial Satisfaction with the Succession Process in Family Firms: A Conceptual Model. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 25(3), 17–36. https://doi.org/10.1177/104225870102500302 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/104225870102500302

Solomon, A., Breunlin, D., Panattoni, Katherine Gustafson, M., Ransburg, D., Ryan, C., & Hammerman, Thomas Terrien, J. (2011). “Don’t Lock Me Out”: Life-Story Interviews of Family Business Owners Facing Succession. Family Process, 50(2), 149–166. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1545-5300.2011.01352.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1545-5300.2011.01352.x

Stewart, A., & Hitt, M. A. (2012). Why Can’t a Family Business Be More Like a Nonfamily Business? Family Business Review, 25(1), 58–86. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486511421665 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486511421665

Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (2008). Pesquisa Qualitativa: Técnicas e procedimentos para o desenvolvimento de teoria fundamentada (2nd ed.). Artmed.

Strike, V. M. (2013). The Most Trusted Advisor and the Subtle Advice Process in Family Firms. Family Business Review, 26(3), 293–313. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486513492547 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486513492547

Suzuki, H., & Kino, Y. (2021). Exploring the growth process of successors in long-lived small and medium-sized manufacturing companies: a qualitative study. F1000Research, 10, 285. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.52226.3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.52226.3

Tarozzi, M. (2011). O que é grounded theory: metodologia de pesquisa e de teoria fundamentada nos dados (Vozes (ed.)). Vozes.

Thorpe, R., Holt, R., Macpherson, A., & Pittaway, L. (2005). Using knowledge within small and medium-sized firms: A systematic review of the evidence. International Journal of Management Reviews, 7(4), 257–281. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2370.2005.00116.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2370.2005.00116.x

Tran, Y. L., Siry, J. P., Izlar, R. L., & Harris, T. G. (2020). Motivations, business structures, and management intentions of large family forest landowners: A case study in the U.S. South. Forest Policy and Economics, 118, 102244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2020.102244 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2020.102244

Tranfield, D., Denyer, D., & Smart, P. (2003). Towards a Methodology for Developing Evidence-Informed Management Knowledge by Means of Systematic Review. British Journal of Management, 14(3), 207–222. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.00375 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.00375

Vincent Ponroy, J., Lê, P., & Pradies, C. (2019). In a family way? A model of family firm identity maintenance by non-family members. Organization Studies, 40(6), 859-886. https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840619836707 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840619836707

Wagner, C., Mair, S., & Bitsch, V. (2022). Mindsets in Intra-familial Farm Transfer: Successful Successor and Predecessor Prototypes. Food System Dynamics, 13(2), 143–164. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18461/ijfsd.v13i2.B3

Wilmer, H., & Fernández-Giménez, M. E. (2015). Rethinking rancher decision-making: a grounded theory of ranching approaches to drought and succession management. Rangeland Journal, 37(5), 517. https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ15017 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ15017

Xi, J., Kraus, S., Filser, M., & Kellermanns, F. W. (2015). Mapping the field of family business research: past trends and future directions. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 11(1), 113–132. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-013-0286-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-013-0286-z

Zahra, S. A., Hayton, J. C., & Salvato, C. (2004). Entrepreneurship in Family vs. Non–Family Firms: A Resource–Based Analysis of the Effect of Organizational Culture. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 28(4), 363–381. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2004.00051.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2004.00051.x

Zybura, J., Zybura, N., Ahrens, J.-P., & Woywode, M. (2021). Innovation in the post-succession phase of family firms: Family CEO successors and leadership constellations as resources. Journal of Family Business Strategy, 12(2), 100336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfbs.2020.100336 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfbs.2020.100336

Downloads

Published

2025-06-27

How to Cite

Feuser, N. S. A., Binotto, E., Gonçalves, L. P., & Cremon, T. (2025). Grounded theory and succession in family businesses: an overview and some directions. Revista De Administração Da UFSM, 18(2), e3. https://doi.org/10.5902/1983465989004

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 2 (2025): Apr-Jun

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Noellen Silva Amorim Feuser, Erlaine Binotto, Lidiane Parron Gonçalves, Thais Cremon

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Until 2023, copyright was transferred by the authors to ReA/UFSM. As of 2024, the authors of articles published by the journal retain the copyright to their work. ReA/UFSM operates under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted reuse and distribution of articles, provided the original work is properly cited.

Most read articles by the same author(s)