Small family business performance: comparison between family and non-family enterprises

Antti Kirmanen and Juha Kansikas

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing, 2010, vol. 2, issue 3/4, 291-307

Abstract: This study compares small family business performance between the Finnish family and non-family enterprises. The sample (2,004 firms) was derived to represent nationally small businesses, in collaboration with the Statistics Finland (Centre) in Helsinki. The answer rate of the study was 90% (data collected by mail questionnaires and telephone interviews). The method of the study was to compare family and non-family enterprises with ROA (return on assets) on an enterprise population level (Finland). The results of the study show that most of the small family businesses are controlled by the founder generation. Founder generation performance was slightly higher than among descendant generation controlled firms. Family businesses were more profitable than non-family businesses in the sector of small enterprises.

Keywords: family businesses; company performance; non-family businesses; agency theory; Finland; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs; comparisons; return on assets; population levels; founder generations; company control; descendant generations; profitability; entrepreneurial venturing; business ventures; entrepreneurs; entrepreneurship; entrepreneurialism; family firms. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ids:ijeven:v:2:y:2010:i:3/4:p:291-307

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