Research and innovation and the role of competition in family owned and managed firms

Purpose This paper examines the innovation behavior of family-owned firms versus non-family-owned firms. The role of internal family governance and the influence of external stimuli (competition) on innovation are also considered. Design/methodology/approach The data of 20,995 family and non-family firms across 38 countries are derived from the World Bank Enterprise Survey during the period 2019–2020. Probit models are used to examine the impact of family ownership, family governance, and competition on innovation outcomes. Findings Family firms are more likely to make R this provides new insights into the ownership-management dynamic of family firms.