A review of an article on “Strategy implementation in family firms”, with focus on the literature review done: for MBA students

A review of an article on “Strategy implementation in family firms”, with focus on the literature review done: for MBA students

 

How to describe the reference of the article in Harvard reference format?

The Harvard reference format for the article "Strategy implementation in family firms: Why it matters and how it differs" is:

Pieper, T.M., Astrachan, C.B., Chirico, F. and Ehlers, A., 2025. Strategy implementation in family firms: Why it matters and how it differs. Organizational Dynamics, 54, p.101194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2025.101194

 

What are the research objectives, research issues, research philosophy (i.e. positivism, interpretivism, pragmatism, and critical realism) and research type (i.e. descriptive, exploratory, causal, and evaluative types) of the study?

Based on the content of the article "Strategy implementation in family firms: Why it matters and how it differs", the following can be summarized:

Research Objectives:

• To explore the complexity of strategy implementation in family firms, focusing on why it matters and how it differs from non-family firms.
• To investigate how variations in family firm characteristics—such as ownership structure, generational involvement, family dynamics, financial and non-financial objectives, family involvement in management, and governance maturity—affect the implementation of adaptive strategy.
• To demonstrate how some family firms turn their complexity into strategic advantage by cultivating shared orientation, resilience, and agility.
• To offer a practitioner-oriented roadmap for implementing strategy in uncertain and complex environments, particularly within family enterprises.

Research Issues:

• The challenge of translating strategic intent into action in family firms given their unique blend of business logic and family dynamics.
• The heterogeneity among family firms and how this variation shapes the strategic implementation process.
• The tension between traditional (static) and adaptive approaches to strategy implementation in a rapidly changing and unpredictable environment.
• How family firms can cultivate capabilities such as trust, agility, and resilience to enhance adaptive strategy implementation.
• The practical implications of governance, ownership dispersion, family involvement, and values in supporting strategy execution.

Research Philosophy:

• The article reflects a pragmatist research philosophy, evidenced by its focus on combining multiple perspectives (organizational dynamics, family business studies, complexity science, military strategy) to understand and improve strategy implementation in real-world family firms.
• It emphasizes practical application and the usefulness of adaptive strategies in complex, uncertain environments.
• The article synthesizes theoretical insights and real-world examples, indicating a pragmatic approach rather than purely positivist (quantitative, hypothesis-testing) or interpretivist (only subjective understanding).

Research Type:

• The study is primarily exploratory and evaluative.
• It explores how strategy implementation varies across types of family firms and evaluates the role of heterogeneity and adaptive strategy practices in this process.
• It uses conceptual analysis, case examples, and an integration of existing literature rather than collecting new empirical data, aligning with an exploratory and evaluative approach.

These inferences are drawn from the article’s abstract, introduction, and discussion of conceptual frameworks and case examples in strategy implementation.

 

How do the research philosophy, research type and research objectives of the study influence the literature review approach and literature review focus of the study?

The research philosophy, research type, and research objectives of the study significantly shape both the approach to and focus of the literature review in this article on strategy implementation in family firms:

1.    Influence of Research Philosophy (Pragmatism):

• Literature Review Approach: The pragmatic philosophy drives a literature review approach that is integrative and interdisciplinary. Instead of adhering narrowly to one theoretical lens, the authors draw from diverse fields—including strategic management, family business studies, complexity science (e.g., Cynefin framework), and military strategy (e.g., OODA loop)—to develop a holistic understanding of adaptive strategy implementation. This reflects pragmatism's focus on practical knowledge and usefulness over strict epistemological boundaries.
• Literature Review Focus: The review targets both traditional and contemporary strategy theories, highlighting the inadequacy of static planning in complex environments and emphasizing adaptive strategy models that resonate with family firm characteristics. The review also focuses on key constructs relevant to family business heterogeneity (ownership structure, family dynamics, governance maturity), reflecting the real-world complexities pragmatic research aims to address.

2.    Influence of Research Type (Exploratory and Evaluative):

• Literature Review Approach: Given the exploratory nature, the review emphasizes identifying gaps and variations in existing knowledge about strategy implementation in family firms rather than testing fixed hypotheses. The evaluative aspect involves critically assessing current frameworks (static vs. adaptive strategy) and their applicability to family enterprises.
• Literature Review Focus: The literature review concentrates on contrasting traditional (static) and adaptive approaches to strategy implementation, reviewing theoretical and empirical insights that reveal how family firms’ unique traits affect implementation outcomes. It evaluates prior research on governance, family involvement, and values to understand enablers and barriers for adaptive strategies.

3.    Influence of Research Objectives (Understanding Complexity and Heterogeneity in Family Firms):

• Literature Review Approach: The objectives necessitate a comprehensive examination of multifaceted topics—strategy processes, family firm heterogeneity, governance, and adaptability—prompting a broad, thematic literature synthesis rather than narrowly focused reviews.
• Literature Review Focus: The focus lies heavily on theories associated with complexity and adaptive strategy, as well as family business literature relating to intergenerational dynamics, trust, and governance structures. The review highlights how the intertwined family and business systems introduce unique challenges and opportunities in strategy implementation.

Summary: Because the study combines a pragmatic philosophy with exploratory/evaluative objectives aimed at grasping the complexity and heterogeneity of family firms, the literature review adopts an integrative, interdisciplinary approach. It focuses on adaptive strategy frameworks and family enterprise traits, seeking theoretical and practical insights that inform effective strategy implementation amid uncertainty—aligning with the study’s practical, contextual, and nuanced aims.

 

Does the literature review examine any major academic theories?

Yes, the literature review in the study examines several major academic theories related to strategy and family business, integrating both classic and contemporary perspectives to build its framework:

1.    Classic Strategy Theories:

• Formal Planning and Structural Alignment: The study references foundational works by Ansoff (1965) and Chandler (1962), which emphasize strategic success through rational analysis, disciplined planning, and aligning organizational structure with long-term goals. These theories represent the traditional, static approach to strategy implementation that assumes relatively stable and ordered environments.

2.    Core Competencies and Strategic Intent:

• Hamel and Prahalad’s (1990s) Work: The review discusses their focus on building strategic intent, leveraging internal strengths, and proactively shaping industry changes rather than passively adapting. This introduces a more dynamic and future-oriented view of strategy relevant to family businesses aiming for sustainability and innovation.

3.    Strategy as a Flexible and Learning Process:

• Mintzberg’s Strategy Safari (1998): The literature review incorporates Mintzberg’s broader conceptualization of strategy, which includes emergent, cultural, political, and learning schools of thought. This supports the article’s argument that rigid, pre-defined plans are insufficient in complex, uncertain environments—common in family firms.

4.    Adaptive Strategy and Complexity Theory:

• Cynefin Framework (Dave Snowden and Cynefin Company): The review draws heavily on complexity science, especially the Cynefin framework, to distinguish between ordered and complex domains where adaptive strategy is necessary. This theory informs the understanding that strategy implementation must be iterative, flexible, and responsive to emergent realities—key for navigating the dynamic contexts family firms face.

5.    Military Strategy and the OODA Loop:

• Astrachan et al. (2010): The study references the application of military strategic concepts, especially the OODA loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act), emphasizing rapid decision cycles and adaptability. This reinforces the need for agility and shared orientation in family firms to implement strategy effectively under uncertainty.

Overall, the literature review examines and synthesizes these major academic theories to underpin the article’s focus on adaptive strategy implementation in family enterprises. It contrasts these perspectives with static strategic planning models, advocating for the former as better suited to the complexity and heterogeneity inherent in family firms.

 

Describe 2 research limitations and 2 literature review limitations of the study.

The study acknowledges several limitations related to both research and literature review aspects:

Research Limitations:

1.    Lack of Empirical Data: The article does not rely on primary empirical data collection. It is primarily conceptual and based on synthesizing existing literature and real-world examples, without new data or quantitative analysis to validate its propositions. This limits the ability to generalize findings or rigorously test hypotheses about adaptive strategy implementation in family firms.

2.    Diverse Family Firm Contexts Not Exhaustively Covered: While the study highlights heterogeneity among family enterprises, it does not exhaustively address all contextual variables or industry-specific factors that might influence strategy implementation. The diversity of family firms means the suggested frameworks may not equally apply to all settings or scales of family businesses, indicating a limitation in scope and applicability.

Literature Review Limitations:

1.    Focus on Select Theories and Frameworks: The literature review centers on a relatively narrow set of strategic management and complexity theories (e.g., Ansoff, Chandler, Mintzberg, Hamel & Prahalad, Cynefin framework). While comprehensive in these areas, it may overlook other relevant theoretical perspectives — such as organizational behavior theories specific to family firms or alternative models of governance — that might enrich understanding of strategy implementation.

2.    Potential Bias Toward Adaptive Strategy: The review emphasizes adaptive strategies and complexity science, advocating these as superior approaches for family firms in uncertain environments. This focus may underrepresent the value or contexts where traditional, static planning strategies remain effective, especially in simpler or more stable scenarios. Thus, the literature review may have a bias limiting balanced consideration of all strategic approaches.

These limitations highlight areas where further empirical research and broader theoretical integration are needed to deepen and validate understanding of strategy implementation in family enterprises.