Family firms, R&D, and internationalization: the stewardship and socio-emotional wealth perspectives

This study draws on stewardship theory and socio-emotional wealth theory to postulate the moderating impact of family ownership on the relationship between research and development (R&D) and firm internationalization. In particular, it focuses on how the relationship between R&D and internationalization differs between family firms managed by a CEO who is a family member and family firms that are managed by a CEO from outside of the family. Based on longitudinal data gathered from 2000 through 2006 from 179 publicly listed high-tech firms in Taiwan, the results reveal that family CEOs further positively moderate the positive relationship between R&D and firm internationalization, while the moderating effect of non-family CEOs proved weaker regarding R&D and firm internationalization.