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Call for Papers for a Special Issue of The Journal of Management
Studies:
The Family and Enterprise: Unpacking the Connections
Editors
William Schulze, University of Utah
Eric Gedajlovic, University of Connecticut
It is taken as axiomatic in economic theory that competitive forces
extinguish inefficient forms of business enterprise, leaving only those
which are structurally the most fit with respect to prevailing market
conditions. Similarly, a fundamental tenet of organizational theory is
that one can explain the prevalence and distribution of an
organizational form with respect to the fit of that form to its context.
By these standards, the family enterprise has proven to be a
remarkably efficient and robust organizational form: They are not only
the world´s most common form of economic organization, but, as La
Porta et al (1999) have noted, large family-controlled enterprises
dominate the global economic landscape.
Despite their ubiquity and economic significance, there exists a
striking absence of research that explains the prominence, or even the
existence, of this unique economic institution. For this special edition
of the Journal of Management Studies, we seek theoretically grounded
research that examines the strategic and performance attributes of the
Family Business as a form of business enterprise. In doing so, these
papers should also shed light on the broader and more fundamental
issue of why this form of business enterprise exists, persists, and
flourishes across diverse institutional contexts and in competition with
other forms of business enterprise. To this end, we are especially
interested in papers that address the following research questions.
* What theories explain the types of organizational structures,
business and corporate strategies and resource acquisition practices
commonly utilized by family businesses?
* How does the coupling of ownership and control in the hands of
family members influence a firm´s strategic objectives and behavior?
* What explains the ability of family businesses to survive and thrive
within and across diverse product markets and institutional contexts?
* How does the reciprocal influence of family and business dynamics
affect a firm´s ability to develop and sustain rent-producing
capabilities?
* What are the competitive advantages and disadvantages of family
businesses relative to other forms of business enterprise?
Submissions to the special issue should be sent electronically (in
Microsoft Word) to Professor Schulze (
William.Schulze@Utah.edu )
or to Professor Gedajlovic at (
eg@gedajlovic.com ) before June 1,
2007. The format of these papers should comply with Journal of
Management Studies Guidelines.
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