Family firms and internationalization: An organizational learning perspective

This paper presents an organizational learning perspective of family firms' internationalization, an important yet neglected theoretical lens in this domain of research. The discussion is based on Huber's (Organization Science, 2(1): 88-115, 1991) typology of learning processes, which includes knowledge acquisition (with five subprocesses: experiential learning, vicarious learning, congenital learning, searching and grafting), information distribution, information interpretation and organizational memory. Family firms exhibit different learning behaviors compared to their non-family counterparts. Moreover, there are differences between traditional and professional family firms. Theoretically-significant propositions can be derived from the differences among the three types of firms that may guide empirical research.