A strategic approach to family connectedness and entrepreneurial intentions

This study investigates how Jordanian family businesses contribute to the transition from latent to emergent entrepreneurship. Focusing on the Jordanian family embeddedness perspective, we examine the role of both the entrepreneurial family and the family enterprise in shaping individuals’ entrepreneurial intentions. Using a sample of 4,543 Jordanian students with a family business history, we explore how specific family and company characteristics impact the next generation’s choice between starting a new business or succeeding in the family business. Our analysis, conducted through structural equation modeling (SEM), reveals the importance of various factors like affective commitment (AC), normative commitment (NC), and parents’ performance in entrepreneurship (PPE) in influencing entrepreneurial intentions. While previous research has focused primarily on Western family businesses, this study provides insights into the unique context of Jordanian family businesses, offering a deeper understanding of family influence on entrepreneurial intentions in a different cultural setting.