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Family firms play a crucial role in global entrepreneurship, especially in emerging economies, contributing significantly to job creation, income generation, innovation, and economic growth. As emerging markets expand rapidly, these business families and their enterprises are poised to drive superior entrepreneurial activity in the coming decades (Baltazar et al., 2023; Le Breton-Miller & Miller, 2018). Rooted in familial ties, traditions, and local contexts, these firms exhibit distinctive entrepreneurial behaviors. Understanding these dynamics is pivotal as research increasingly explores the diversity among family-owned businesses. Factors such as familial dynamics, succession planning, and institutional environments profoundly shape their strategies and decision-making processes. This study delves into these complexities, highlighting the unique challenges and opportunities faced by family firms in emerging economies. Insights gained can inform policies and practices aimed at nurturing entrepreneurial ventures in these dynamic contexts.

Family startups are essential to a nation’s development because they foster creativity, economic expansion, and job creation. They introduce novel concepts, game-changing technologies, and innovative business approaches to the market. Family startups also help a country be more competitive abroad by luring capital, encouraging entrepreneurship, and diversifying the economy beyond its core industries. Additionally, family startups operate as agents of social change by addressing societal problems and providing answers that benefit communities. Therefore, fostering a thriving start-up ecosystem is crucial for a nation’s long-term sustainable development and prosperity. Against this background, this book chapter examines the potential and difficulties that family startups in Oman’s developing entrepreneurial environment confront. The chapter explores the challenges faced by entrepreneurs as well as the opportunities for growth and innovation in this dynamic market to illuminate the distinctive dynamics of the Omani start-up scene.

The “VUCA world” is an environment characterized by unprecedented levels of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). In such a turbulent environment, corporate entrepreneurship is key for all businesses, especially family firms. Corporate entrepreneurship is a concept that enables innovation, growth, and competitive advantage over competitors. It is a driving force for organizations to make changes in their structures and operations to respond to changes by using the limited resources they have in the environments in which they operate and to reduce the negative effects of shortening product life cycles. Family firms, which have an important place in the economies of countries, are indispensable players in economic activities, they need to think more strategically, and innovative and have an entrepreneurial perspective in ensuring their adaptation for competitive and growth purposes. In this study, the relationship between the place of family firms in the VUCA world and corporate entrepreneurship was tried to be established, and the corporate entrepreneurship of family firms was examined in line with their corporate logic. For this purpose, the news on the corporate websites of seven family companies operating in Türkiye and included in the 2023 Family Business Index was analyzed by content analysis method. Data were coded with thematic coding and findings were revealed. Common types of logic in family firms are market logic and efficiency and savings logic, with a hybrid characteristic consisting of a combination of market logic and efficiency and savings logic.

This chapter explores the interplay between organizational conservatism (OC) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices within family firms, specifically in Morocco. By exploring the familial dimensions of CSR, the study aims to uncover the impact of OC on CSR strategies, outcomes, and implications. Employing an exploratory qualitative design with multiple case studies, the research examines three Moroccan family firms. Thematic content analysis (TCA) was used to synthesize interview data and extract primary themes. The findings illustrate that OC fosters stable, values-driven, and sustainable CSR initiatives. This is achieved through the alignment of shared values, cautious change management, prudent financial strategies, commitment to legacy, and integration with family values. Moreover, the study underscores the informal nature of CSR practices in the Moroccan context, which are deeply intertwined with cultural, social, and religious norms. The implications of this research shed light on the effectiveness of OC in promoting enduring and meaningful CSR efforts within family firms. This study contributes to a nuanced understanding of the relationship between conservatism, CSR, and familial dimensions, enriching the discourse on responsible business practices.

The socio-emotional wealth (SEW) framework and the resource-based theory (RBT) offer two valuable perspectives on innovation dynamics within family firms. Through the SEW lens, family firms may prioritize preserving their traditions and core values, potentially resisting the adoption of new technologies and modern business methods. In contrast, RBT suggests that family firms can gain a competitive edge by harnessing and nurturing their unique resources and capabilities, such as collective experiences, market reputation, and established networks, to foster innovation and secure a strong market position. By integrating these two perspectives, family firms can achieve sustainable competitive advantages by balancing the tensions between tradition and innovation. This comprehensive approach allows them to innovate while preserving their SEW, ensuring long-term success in the ever-evolving business landscape.

This chapter critically examines the unique challenges and opportunities faced by family-owned startups in emerging economies, a topic that has received limited attention in existing literature. Recognizing the high failure rate of startups, particularly in family firms, this study seeks to understand the factors contributing to their success or failure. Employing a qualitative analysis, the chapter explores various economic, legal, and cultural dimensions that influence these businesses. It provides a comparative perspective, drawing insights from various emerging economies to identify patterns and differences in the experiences of family-owned startups. The chapter aims to fill the knowledge gap by offering a comprehensive view of the success and failure dynamics in family-owned startups, with a focus on strategic, managerial, and operational aspects. This approach offers valuable insights for both academics and practitioners, aiming to guide future research and practical interventions to support the sustainability and growth of family firms in these dynamic markets.

In family firms, growth is intricately linked not only to strategic business decisions but also to the dynamics of generational involvement and entrepreneurial orientation (EO). While previous research has explored the connection between family firm growth and EO, it often overlooks the moderating role that generational involvement could play in this relationship. To address this gap in the literature and investigate its potential impact, this study aims to examine how generational involvement shapes the effects of EO on growth. Based on a quantitative study involving 150 Tunisian family firms and employing a questionnaire-based approach along with structural equation modeling using SPSS 22 and AMOS software, the findings reveal that not all dimensions of EO equally contribute to growth. Specifically, proactiveness, competitive aggressiveness, and autonomy influence growth directly and in the presence of generational involvement as moderators. The effectiveness of these dimensions in driving growth is contingent upon the active and collaborative participation of diverse family generations in the entrepreneurial activities of the family firm. This research pinpoints the importance of family firms that wish to ensure long-term EO when multiple generations are involved. It also reaffirms the importance of these notions within family firms for sustaining long-term EO. Furthermore, this study advocates for additional empirical research on the potential role of generational involvement in establishing professionalization and family governance mechanisms. It seeks to explore their impact on the sustainability of entrepreneurial family firms.

This chapter thoroughly explores the intersection of family entrepreneurship, cultural dynamics, and emerging markets, with a specific focus on the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Examining the entrepreneurial behaviour of family firms, it delves into how these enterprises navigate cultural intricacies, seize emerging market opportunities, and contribute to local and global entrepreneurship ecosystems. The dynamic interplay between family dynamics and entrepreneurial pursuits is scrutinized, unravelling influences on resource allocation, succession planning, risk-taking, and innovation within UAE family firms. This exploration contributes valuable insights into the evolving landscape of family entrepreneurship, serving as a resource for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. The research employs a comprehensive methodology involving case studies, shedding light on how these enterprises adapt, pivot, and exhibit resilience in response to the challenges and opportunities presented by emerging markets. Case studies provide valuable insights into the strategies employed by UAE family firms, contributing to a nuanced understanding of the evolving landscape of family entrepreneurship. This chapter serves as a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners seeking insights into the intricate interplay of family entrepreneurship, cultural dynamics, and emerging markets.

This study investigates the motivations and challenges of Nigerian women in leadership roles in male-dominated family firms. It addresses the literature gap in gender dynamics within these businesses, particularly in Nigeria, where such enterprises are economically significant yet often display gender biases due to cultural and societal norms. Using qualitative methods and a multiple case study approach, the research analyzes the experiences of eight women leading family firms. It identifies three key motivations for these women: acquiring necessary skills and capabilities, career development, and enhancing quality of life, influenced by personal growth, job satisfaction, and balancing work and family. The study also highlights three main challenges: the glass ceiling effect, traditional gender roles, and primogeniture, leading to stereotypes, societal pressures, and often relegating women to subordinate roles or presenting significant leadership hurdles.