Sustainability in family business: Mechanisms, technologies and business models for achieving economic prosperity, environmental quality and social equity

Abstract

Enhancing sustainability in terms of a simultaneous pursuit of economic, ecological and social goals has become a key requirement for firms across industries and countries. Although many studies have focused on multiple aspects surrounding the topic of sustainability such as mechanisms, technologies and business models, little is known about sustainability in family businesses. This constitutes a relevant research gap as most firms in western societies are family firms and as such are associated with unique characteristics that differentiate their governance, structures, and behaviors from non-family firms. We address this gap by providing a categorization of three relevant research areas that will be relevant to further contribute to understanding sustainability in family business: antecedences of sustainability, management of sustainability and bargaining from sustainability.