Innovation of Family-Owned Enterprises and Government Subsidies: From A Policy-Oriented Perspective

Abstract

This paper investigates the influence effects of government subsidies on the innovation of family-owned enterprises in China through a panel data model and Heckman two-stage model, and explores the possible influence mechanisms of government subsidies on different innovation behaviors of family-owned enterprises through a mediation analysis method. It is found that government subsidies play a significant role in promoting innovation input, innovation quantity and innovation quality of family-owned enterprises. From the perspective of innovation quality, government subsidies are more beneficial to family-owned enterprises without “two jobs in one” or “2nd generation succession”. Compared with family-owned enterprises that have completed intergenerational inheritance, government subsidies are more conducive to enhancing the innovation quantity of family-owned enterprises that have not achieved “2nd generation succession”. We find also that government subsidies can indirectly improve the innovation quality of family-owned enterprises by increasing the proportion of state-owned shares and easing the financing constraints. By organically integrating two relatively independent research fields (effectiveness of government subsidy and innovation of family businesses), this paper opens up a new way of thinking for exploring the sustainability of family businesses.