Publication Type

PhD Dissertation

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

4-2025

Abstract

Family firms are key contributors to the global economy, yet their long-term entrepreneurial sustainability remains uncertain, particularly during intergenerational transitions. While entrepreneurial orientation (EO) has been studied widely in general business contexts, the interplay between intergenerational dynamics and EO remains underexplored in family firms. This study addresses the existing gap by methodically studying how family-specific factors influence EO, thereby contributing a novel perspective to entrepreneurship and family business research. Drawing on Constructivist Learning Theory, we conceptualise EO not as a static firm attribute but as a developmental process shaped by intergenerational interactions, governance structures, and external influences. Using a multi-method approach, we analyse how communication, authority structures, and attention allocation affect EO across varied family business contexts—an area that has received limited empirical attention. Importantly, we show that firm size conditions the extent to which EO is sustained across generations. Larger family firms, with their more formalised but rigid governance mechanisms, may inadvertently constrain entrepreneurial activity. In contrast, external working experience among next-generation leaders introduces new strategic perspectives; however, its impact is contingent upon the firm’s internal assimilation processes. This duality presents a nuanced understanding of entrepreneurial renewal that has not been systematically tested in family firm settings. Our findings contribute to the existing body of research by contextualising EO within the unique institutional and relational dynamics of family businesses. Specifically, we highlight how intergenerational learning and governance configurations shape entrepreneurial capacity, and we underscore the distinct pathways through which EO evolves in small versus large family firms.

Keywords

Family Dynamics, Entrepreneurial Orientation, Firm Size, Working Experience

Degree Awarded

PhD in Business (General Management)

Discipline

Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | Strategic Management Policy

Supervisor(s)

GENG, Xuesong

First Page

1

Last Page

100

Publisher

Singapore Management University

City or Country

Singapore

Copyright Owner and License

Author

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