Knowledge management aids family business succession and innovation.
Authors
Sanjay Chaudhary, Associate Professor, Jindal Global Business School, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India
Ankit Mehrotra, Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow, India
Abdullah Alsabban, Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Administration, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Moreno Quintino, Department of Business Studies, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
Giovanni Papa, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
Summary
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to uncover thematic areas that highlight the role of knowledge management in the family business literature. Despite the proliferation of literature on the intersection of knowledge management and family business over the past two decades, we lack an understanding of why knowledge management is unique in the context of family firms and how knowledge management is introduced and implemented. The relatively sparse systematic review studies on the topic are surprising as they facilitate the theory-building process by mapping existing thematic areas of research and uncovering open research gaps.
Design/methodology/approach: Aiming to review the literature on knowledge management in family businesses and identify gaps, the authors conducted a systematic literature review to examine 72 articles on the intersection of knowledge management and family business.
Findings: Thematic analysis of the selected articles revealed five key themes: succession, entrepreneurial behaviour, trust, enablers and barriers and outcomes of knowledge management. The authors synthesize the findings into a conceptual framework and propose future research directions to enhance understanding in the family business context. Research limitations/implications: The authors conclude by elucidating the study’s limitations and theoretical implications. The key implication is that family businesses can leverage knowledge management to ensure successful inter-generational knowledge transfer and foster an entrepreneurial culture that shapes innovation and risk-taking. Practical implications: Trust among internal and external stakeholders can hasten the transfer of knowledge and mitigate knowledge hiding.
Originality/value: The authors synthesise the findings into a conceptual framework. The authors propose future research directions to enhance understanding in the family business context and conclude by elucidating the study’s limitations and theoretical implications.
Published in: Journal of Knowledge Management
To read the full article, please click here.
