Family firms’ internationalization: a pathway to long-term legitimacy

Purpose – Based on the socioemotional wealth (SEW) perspective, this paper aims to focus on the mixed- gamble logic to study the process of internationalization of family firms. Design/methodology/approach – The qualitative multiple case study is based on four longitudinal Irish case studies. Findin...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Díaz Moriana, Vanessa, Moreno Menéndez, Ana María, Casillas Bueno, José Carlos, Arzubiaga, Unai
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Sevilla (US)
Repositorio:idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla
OAI Identifier:oai:idus.us.es:11441/180216
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/11441/180216
https://doi.org/10.1108/RIBS-06-2023-0050
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:SEW
Internationalization
Family business
Mixed gamble
Legacy
Legitimacy
Descripción
Sumario:Purpose – Based on the socioemotional wealth (SEW) perspective, this paper aims to focus on the mixed- gamble logic to study the process of internationalization of family firms. Design/methodology/approach – The qualitative multiple case study is based on four longitudinal Irish case studies. Findings – This study proposes that family leaders assess potential SEW gains and losses when facing international strategic decisions. Findings show that family firms build legacy through international practices and, subsequently, gain long-term legitimacy, defined as the transgenerational status and credibility obtained by their family leaders. Practical implications – Given the importance of international practices for the achievement of legacy, and ultimately legitimacy, practitioners should be aware of the critical role that internationalization could play. Originality/value – The study develops a framework that contributes to a more fine-grained understanding of the internationalization process of family firms.