Strategic Decisions Within Family Firms: Understanding the Controlling Family's Receptivity to Internationalization

Arregle, Naldi, Nordqvist, and Hitt found that external owner and board member involvement within family firms influence the scale and scope of these firms internationalization. This commentary further explicates how and under what conditions the family might be receptive to these types of strategic initiatives when they are presented by external owners. In essence, the controlling family's receptivity to internationalization would be influenced by how successfully external owners use persuasion techniques and how these techniques, given the firm's social context, might be viewed. The resulting receptivity would be balanced against the scripts and images that have emerged based on the family's values, goals, and aspirations.