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Unpacking willingness in family firms facing the digital transformation.

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Authors: Appleton, Samuel1 (AUTHOR) samuel.appleton@unibg.it, Mismetti, Marco2 (AUTHOR), Matt, Dominik3 (AUTHOR), De Massis, Alfredo4,5,6,7 (AUTHOR)
Source: Small Business Economics. Dec2025, Vol. 65 Issue 4, p2301-2330. 30p.
Subject Terms: *Digital transformation, *Family-owned business enterprises, *Innovations in business, Comparative studies, Modernization (Social science), Adaptability (Personality), Attitude change (Psychology), Attitude (Psychology)
Abstract: Digital transformation introduces a new set of parameters for firm innovation. Existing literature has found that family firms vary on their willingness to innovate. However, explanations of the factors that lead to a family firm's (un)willingness to act remain scarce. Even more scarce are studies exploring the family firm's (un)willingness in the digital transformation. The digital transformation is a promising environmental stimulus to unpack family firm (un)willingness due to its disruptive nature. This research uses a comparative multiple case study of 14 manufacturing family firms. The novel findings identify a variety of dispositions that can be divided into willingness-enabling and willingness-suppressing. Willingness affects how family firms potentially (do not) take advantage of the opportunities provided by the digital transformation. The contributions are twofold. First, the importance of considering the heterogeneity of family firms' willingness toward digital transformation is highlighted. Second, by identifying the role of dispositions and related mechanisms we unpack the heterogeneity of the willingness. In sum, we provide a much-needed explanation of family firms in the digital transformation. Plain English Summary: Family business members who create a willingness-enabling disposition within the firm will more positively embrace the digital transformation. Our research concerns a popular topic, the digital transformation, within a popular form of organization, the family firm. Family firms hold a distinctive willingness that influences a wide span of behaviors, which has been underexplored in the digital transformation. Based on evidence from 14 family firms, we shed light on two dispositions: willingness-enabling and willingness-suppressing. These dispositions lead to (un)willingness towards the digital transformation. Educators should aim to shift family firms' dispositions from willingness-suppressing to willingness-enabling. Practitioners should focus on the willingness as well as the ability of family firms. Policy makers should aim to assist those willing family firms to better develop their ability in the digital transformation. We underpin the importance of dispositions in family firms towards the digital transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Database: Entrepreneurial Studies Source
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Appleton%2C+Samuel%22">Appleton, Samuel</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> samuel.appleton@unibg.it</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mismetti%2C+Marco%22">Mismetti, Marco</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Matt%2C+Dominik%22">Matt, Dominik</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22De+Massis%2C+Alfredo%22">De Massis, Alfredo</searchLink><relatesTo>4,5,6,7</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Small+Business+Economics%22">Small Business Economics</searchLink>. Dec2025, Vol. 65 Issue 4, p2301-2330. 30p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Digital+transformation%22">Digital transformation</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Family-owned+business+enterprises%22">Family-owned business enterprises</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Innovations+in+business%22">Innovations in business</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Comparative+studies%22">Comparative studies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Modernization+%28Social+science%29%22">Modernization (Social science)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adaptability+%28Personality%29%22">Adaptability (Personality)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attitude+change+%28Psychology%29%22">Attitude change (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attitude+%28Psychology%29%22">Attitude (Psychology)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Digital transformation introduces a new set of parameters for firm innovation. Existing literature has found that family firms vary on their willingness to innovate. However, explanations of the factors that lead to a family firm's (un)willingness to act remain scarce. Even more scarce are studies exploring the family firm's (un)willingness in the digital transformation. The digital transformation is a promising environmental stimulus to unpack family firm (un)willingness due to its disruptive nature. This research uses a comparative multiple case study of 14 manufacturing family firms. The novel findings identify a variety of dispositions that can be divided into willingness-enabling and willingness-suppressing. Willingness affects how family firms potentially (do not) take advantage of the opportunities provided by the digital transformation. The contributions are twofold. First, the importance of considering the heterogeneity of family firms' willingness toward digital transformation is highlighted. Second, by identifying the role of dispositions and related mechanisms we unpack the heterogeneity of the willingness. In sum, we provide a much-needed explanation of family firms in the digital transformation. Plain English Summary: Family business members who create a willingness-enabling disposition within the firm will more positively embrace the digital transformation. Our research concerns a popular topic, the digital transformation, within a popular form of organization, the family firm. Family firms hold a distinctive willingness that influences a wide span of behaviors, which has been underexplored in the digital transformation. Based on evidence from 14 family firms, we shed light on two dispositions: willingness-enabling and willingness-suppressing. These dispositions lead to (un)willingness towards the digital transformation. Educators should aim to shift family firms' dispositions from willingness-suppressing to willingness-enabling. Practitioners should focus on the willingness as well as the ability of family firms. Policy makers should aim to assist those willing family firms to better develop their ability in the digital transformation. We underpin the importance of dispositions in family firms towards the digital transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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        Value: 10.1007/s11187-025-01057-8
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        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Digital transformation
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      – SubjectFull: Family-owned business enterprises
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      – SubjectFull: Innovations in business
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      – SubjectFull: Comparative studies
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      – SubjectFull: Modernization (Social science)
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      – SubjectFull: Adaptability (Personality)
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      – SubjectFull: Attitude change (Psychology)
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      – SubjectFull: Attitude (Psychology)
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      – TitleFull: Unpacking willingness in family firms facing the digital transformation.
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            – D: 01
              M: 12
              Text: Dec2025
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              Y: 2025
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