Title: Barriers and key success factors in the transgenerational transmission of family farm businesses in the French context: 'theory of hypertrophy vs. equilibrium of life spheres' proposition

Authors: Lovanirina Ramboarison-Lalao; Albert Lwango; François-Régis Lenoir

Addresses: EM Strasbourg Business School, 61 avenue de la Forêt Noire, 67085 Strasbourg, France ' Groupe ESC Troyes Champagne Business School, 217 Avenue Pierre Brossolette, 10000 Troyes, France ' Puzzle Concept Consulting, 2 rue Théodore Dubois, 51390 Rosnay, France

Abstract: Our qualitative study explores the barriers and key success factors in the transgenerational transmission of family business farms within the French context. On the one hand, the life stories of the 26 French farm owners in our sample indicate an over-cumbersome professional sphere. This leads some farmers to neglect their personal sphere of life, which in turn has a negative impact on the potential for transmission. The single lifestyle of many French farmers today is one of the main factors compromising family farm business transmission. In addition, most farmers' children appear to want less tiresome and better paid jobs, again reducing the chances of transmission. On the other hand, our findings suggest that the more dynamic the life sphere of farmers, the greater the likelihood of family business transmission. We subsequently discuss the implications of the theory of hypertrophy vs. equilibrium of life spheres proposition derived from our insights.

Keywords: business transmission; transgenerational continuity; barriers and key success; life spheres; farmers; hypertrophy versus equilibrium.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2018.092023

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2018 Vol.34 No.2, pp.131 - 147

Received: 24 Feb 2016
Accepted: 30 May 2016
Published online: 30 May 2018 *

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