Family firms motivations and commitment to achieving sustainable development goals: a research agenda

This study performs a systematic literature review of the importance of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in family firms. A set of 104 articles was gathered to allow for a critical and in-depth review of the research topic. In the first phase, cluster analysis was used to group the most common SDGs found in the sample articles into three clusters based their goal type: social, economic growth, and environmental goals. Bibliographic coupling analysis provided valid information about the temporal evolution of the SDG knowledge structure in family firms. A subsequent analysis evaluated the main methodologies used and theories referenced in these studies. The results reflect a wide variety of methodologies and extended use of longitudinal studies with comparisons over time, which help explain the topic’s procedural nature. An analysis of the theoretical approaches isolated eight main theories that have been useful in explaining family firms’ possible motivations for adopting SDGs. Despite the growing importance of sustainability practices in family businesses, this is the first systematic literature review of the research topic to use the SDG framework.