Innovation through tradition in family firms: evidence from case studies in Chile

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54167/ejbei.v1i1.1668

Keywords:

Family businesses, Innovation, Tradition, Legacy knowledge, Values, Principles

Abstract

Innovation has become a vital element for the growth and projection of organizations. The literature on family businesses presents mixed evidence regarding the orientation of this type of companies towards innovation. Normally, this type of organization is rooted in its history and tradition, conditioning innovation. However, tradition can provide unique distinctive resources to leverage innovation in the family business. In this way, this study is dedicated to the search for evidence that allows advancing in the analysis of the innovation through tradition paradox. To carry out this research, it is qualitative in nature and will use the case study as a methodological tool, family businesses from the Los Lagos region in Chile will be analyzed. The results showed that tradition (legacy knowledge and deep-rooted values and principles) is related to and can drive innovation in the family business.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Adner, R., & Snow, D. (2010). Old technology responses to new technology threats: Demand heterogeneity and technology retreats. Industrial and Corporate Change, 19(5), 1655–1675. https://doi.org/10.1093/icc/dtq046

Açikgöz, A., Günsel, A., Kuzey, C., & Zaim, H. (2016). Team foresight in new product development projects. Group Decision and Negotiation, 25(2), 289-323. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10726-015-9443-9

Arzubiaga, U., Castillo-Apraiz, J., & Palma-Ruiz, J. M. (2022). Competitive Advantage Development in Family Firms by Transforming Entrepreneurial Orientation Into CSR: Evidence from Spain. In Research Anthology on Developing Socially Responsible Businesses (pp. 530-546). IGI Global. http://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-5590-6.ch026

Arzubiaga, U., Maseda, A., & Beunza, F. (2019a). Innovación basada en la tradición en las empresas familiares. Revista de Dirección y Administración de Empresas, 26, 11-29.

Arzubiaga, U., Maseda, A., Uribarri, A., & Palma-Ruiz, J. M. (2019b). Collaborative innovation in the family SME: conceptualization, goals, and success factors. European Journal of Family Business, 9, 102-114. https://doi.org/10.24310/EJFBEJFB.V9I2.5265

Astrachan, J. H., Klein, S. B., & Smyrnios, K. X. (2002). The F-PEC scale of family influence: A proposal for solving the family business definition problem. Family Business Review, 15(1), 45-58. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6248.2002.00045

Barros-Contreras, I., Morales-Serazzi, M., Torres-Toukoumidis, A., & Palma-Ruiz, J. M. (2022). Knowledge Integration and Organisational Performance of Data Analytics in the Family Business. Journal of Open Innovation. Technol. Mark. Complex. 8(135). https://doi.org/ 10.3390/joitmc8030135

Barros-Contreras, I., Palma-Ruiz, J. M., & Torres-Toukoumidis, A. (2021). Organizational Capabilities for Family Firm Sustainability: The Role of Knowledge Accumulation and Family Essence. Sustainability, 13(5607). https://doi.org/10.3390/ su13105607

Boling, J. R., Pieper, T. M. & Covin, J. G. (2016). CEO tenure and entrepreneurial orientation within family and nonfamily firms. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 40(4), 891-913. https://doi.org/10.1111/etap.12150

Cepeda, G., (2006). La calidad en los métodos de investigación cualitativa: principios de aplicación práctica para estudios de casos. Cuadernos de Economía y Dirección de la Empresa, (29), 57-82.

Craig, J. & Dibrell, C. (2006). The natural environment, innovation, and firm performance: a comparative study. Family Business Review, 19(4), 275-288. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6248.2006.00075.x

Craig, J. B., Dibrell, C., & Davis, P. S. (2008). Leveraging family‐based brand identity to enhance firm competitiveness and performance in family businesses. Journal of Small Business Management, 46(3), 351-371. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-627X.2008.00248.x

Crossan, M., & Apaydin, M. (2010). A multi-dimensional framework of organizational innovation: a systematic review of the literature. Journal of Management Studies, 47, 1154-1191. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2009.00880.x

Dacin, M. T., Dacin, P. A., & Kent, D. (2019). Tradition in organizations: A custodianship framework. Academy of Management Annals, 13(1), 342–373. https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2016.0122

De Clercq, D., & Belausteguigoitia, I. (2015). Intergenerational strategy involvement and family firms’ innovation pursuits: The critical roles of conflict management and social capital. Journal of Family Business Strategy, 6(3), 178-189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfbs.2015.04.003

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

De Massis, A., Frattini, F., Kotlar, J., Petruzzelli, A. M., & Wright, M. (2016). Innovation through tradition: Lessons from innovative family businesses and directions for future research. Academy of Management Perspectives, 30(1), 93-116. https://doi.org/10.5465/amp.2015.0017

De Massis, A., & Kotlar, J. (2014). The case study method in family business research: Guidelines for qualitative scholarship. Journal of family business strategy, 5(1), 15-29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfbs.2014.01.007

Dunn, B. (1995). Success themes in Scottish family enterprises: philosophies and practices through the generations. Family Business Review, 8(1), 17-28. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6248.1995.00017.x

Eisenhardt, K. (1989). Construcción de teorías a partir de la investigación de estudios de casos. La revisión de la Academia de Gestión, 14(4) 532-550.

Erdogan, I., Rondi E., & De Massis, A. (2020). Managing the Tradition and Innovation Paradox in Family Firms: A Family Imprinting Perspective. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 44(1). 20–54. https://doi.org/10.1177/1042258719839712

Feranita, F., Kotlar, J., & De Massis, A. (2017). Collaborative innovation in family firms: Past research, current debates and agenda for future research. Journal of Family Business Strategy, 8(3), 137-156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfbs.2017.07.001

Gusenbauer, M., Schweiger, N., Matzler, K., & Hautz, J. (2023). Innovation through tradition: The role of past knowledge for successful innovations in family and non-family firms. Family Business Review, 36(1), 17-36. https://doi.org/10.1177/08944865221147955

Hernández-Sampieri, R., Fernández, C., & Baptista, P. (2010). Metodología de la investigación (5a ed.). México: McGraw-Hill.

Heidrich, B., Vajdovich, N., Németh, K., & Németh, S. (2022). ¿Deteniendo los años? Tradición e innovación en bodegas familiares. Prosperitas, 9(4).

Hibbert, P., & Huxham, C. (2010). The past in play: Tradition in the structures of collaboration. Organization Studies, 31(5), 525-554. https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840610372203

Hayton, J. C. & Kelley, D. J. (2006). A competency-based framework for promoting corporate entrepreneurship. Human Resource Management, 45(3), 407–427. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.20118

Jaskiewicz, P., Combs, J. G., & Rau, S. B. (2015). Entrepreneurial legacy: Toward a theory of how some family firms nurture transgenerational entrepreneurship. Journal of Business Venturing, 30(1), 29-49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2014.07.001

Lattuch, F. (2019). Family firm innovation strategy: contradictions and tradition. Journal of Business Strategy, 40(3), 36-42. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBS-03-2018-0046

Lumpkin, G. T., Martin, W., & Vaughn, M. (2008). Family orientation: Individual level. Family Business Review, 21(2), 127-138. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6248.2008.00120.x

Magistretti, S., Dell'Era, C., Frattini, F., & Messini, A. (2020). Innovation through tradition in design intensive family firms. Journal of Knowledge Management, 24(4), 823-839. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-07-2019-0399

Mertens, D. (2005). Research and evaluation in Education and Psychology: Integrating diversity with quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Messeni-Petruzzelli, A. & Albino, V. (2012). When tradition turns into innovation. How firms can create and appropriate value through tradition. Oxford, UK: Woodhead Publishing Limited.

Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldana, J. (2014). Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook. Sagepub.com. https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/qualitative-data-analysis/book246128

Naldi, L., Nordqvist, M., Sjoberg, K. & Wiklund, J. (2007). Entrepreneurial orientation, risk taking, and performance in family firms. Family Business Review, 20(1), 33-47. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6248.2007.00082.x

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

Shoham, H. (2011). Rethinking tradition: From ontological reality to assigned temporal meaning. European Journal of Sociology, 52(02), 313-340. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003975611000129

Sørensen, J., & Stuart, T. (2000). Aging, obsolescence, and organizational innovation. Administrative Science Quarterly, 45(1), 81-112. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666980

Swan, J., Newell, S., Scarbrough, H. & Hislop, D. (1999). Knowledge management and innovation: networks and networking. Journal of Knowledge Management, 3(4). 262-275. https://doi.org/10.1108/13673279910304014

Vago, M. (2004). Integrating change management: Challenges for family business clients and consultants. Family Business Review, 17(1), 71-80. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6248.2004.00005.x

Vallone, C., & Iannone, B. (2020). Innovation through Tradition in Family Business. International Journal of Business and Management, 15(1), 157-165. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijbm.v15n1p157

Van Maanen, J. (1983). Epilogue: Qualitative methods reclaimed. En J. Van Maanen (Ed.), Qualitative methodology (pp. 247-268). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

Yin, R. K. (2003). Applications of case study research. Thousand Oaks. CA: Sage.

Yin, R. K. (2014). Case Study Research Design and Methods. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjpe.30.1.108

Zahra, S. A. (2005). Entrepreneurial risk taking in family firms. Family Business Review, 18(1), 23-40. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6248.2005.00028.x

Zellweger, T. M., Eddleston, K. A., & Kellermans, F. W. (2010). Exploring the concept of Familiness: Introducing family firms and identity. Journal of Family Business Strategy, 1, 54­63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfbs.2009.12.003

Downloads

Published

07/02/2024 — Updated on 07/02/2024

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Innovation through tradition in family firms: evidence from case studies in Chile. (2024). Economicus Journal of Business and Economics Insights, 1(1), 10-37. https://doi.org/10.54167/ejbei.v1i1.1668

Most read articles by the same author(s)