Title: Succession in Chinese family enterprises: the influence of cognitive, regulatory and normative factors

Authors: Thomas Wing Yan Man; Michael Mustafa; Yao Fang

Addresses: Department of Management, Hang Seng Management College, Hang Shin Link, Siu Lek Yuen, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong ' Nottingham University Business School, University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia ' Nottingham University Business School, University of Nottingham Ningbo Campus, 199 Taikang East Road, Ningbo 315100, China

Abstract: Through an institution-based perspective, we investigate succession issues of Chinese family enterprises with a focus of how China's One Child Policy impacts the process. Based on an in-depth case study of two Chinese family firms, we find that the succession process is embedded in an institutional environment constituted by a multitude of intertwining moral, socio-economic, and politico-legal factors. To be more effective in this process, we recommend an earlier cultivation of the successors' positive values and attitudes towards the family enterprises, proper alignment between their knowledge and experience, provision of mentoring to them, and strengthening their effort in reflecting upon experience.

Keywords: family businesses; family firms; China; family succession; institutional theory; one-child policy; cognitive factors; regulatory factors; normative factors; positive values; positive attitudes; knowledge; experience; mentoring; reflection.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMP.2016.079620

International Journal of Management Practice, 2016 Vol.9 No.4, pp.412 - 432

Received: 17 Oct 2015
Accepted: 02 Jun 2016
Published online: 05 Oct 2016 *

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