Strategic Decision Making in Intergenerational Successions of Small- and Medium-Size Family-Owned Businesses

Abstract

This paper deals with intergenerational successions of small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs). Entrepreneurs face an unavoidable succession dilemma: they must make either explicit or implicit strategic decisions about transitioning ownership of the family business. The main alternatives are to sell the company to someone outside the family or to make arrangements for an interfamily succession. In the latter case, there are many transition modes, e.g., through a gift of shares or a will. This paper uses decision trees to analyze intergenerational successions problems. One conclusion of the paper is that it is important for a society to provide a legal system that facilitates transitions of family companies within the family because the legal system will, among other positive factors connected with family businesses, preserve idiosyncratic knowledge of family character.