Internationalising Family Run Business: Overcoming Conflict, Embracing Cohesion and the role of Entrepreneurship

Family run businesses, despite their importance to both local economies and at a broader national level have traditionally received significantly less attention in business research than either Small to Medium Enterprises (SMES) or new venture business start-ups. The study proposes to examine the internationalisation of family run businesses with a focus on cohesion, leadership and the role of entrepreneurship, both during and directly thereafter the critical interim of expanding operations across international borders. Proposing a multiple case study methodology, we intend to explore the practicalities of how family run enterprises expand beyond their national borders and embrace wider, international markets. Further, the study proposes to examine the unique idiosyncracries inherent in the context of family run businesses; notably the importance of succession planning, managing paternal relationships and overcoming internal human resourcing conflicts through collective negotiation.