Influence of family involvement on family firm internationalization: The moderating effects of industrial and institutional environments

Abstract

This paper aimed to explore the effects of family ownership and management on Chinese family firm internationalization, and to examine the moderating effects of environmental munificence, institutional environment, and political ties in this relationship. A questionnaire survey of 274 family firms in 8 provinces or municipalities in China was conducted to test the proposed hypotheses empirically. The results were as follows: First, family ownership and management positively impacted the depth and breadth of internationalization. Second, environmental munificence weakened the effect of family ownership on the depth of internationalization, as well as on the effect of family management on the breadth of internationalization, but intensified the effect of family management on the depth of internationalization. Third, the institutional environment intensified the effects of family management on the depth and breadth of internationalization. Finally, political ties weakened the effect of family management on the depth of internationalization, but intensified the effect of family ownership on the breadth of internationalization. The contributions and implications of this study are also discussed.