The determinants of the succession in Taiwan's family business groups

Abstract

Based on the panel data analysis of Taiwan's family business groups from 1988 to 2002, this research attempts to investigate the relationships among overlapping investment, use of particularistic ties, group performance, and succession in family business group. The results show that the family business group's overlapping investment between the owner-managers and family members occupying the decisive positions of group affiliates significantly influence its leader change. This study highlights the importance of alternative control choices within the family business. Furthermore, it also provides a good comparing start-point for researches interested in understanding the succession issue of Chinese family business in Great China.