Small & Family Business

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly those of a familial nature, stand as the bedrock of both the national and global economy. Their establishment and continuity play a pivotal role in securing the growth and stability objectives of the Italian economy, while also upholding the social impact they exert on local territories and communities.

Despite the ongoing progress in researching SMEs e family businesses several opportunities for exploration still exist. This is especially true when considering the heterogeneous nature of these enterprises in terms of governance structures, business models, adopted technologies, internationalisation, global supply chains, and societal impact. To advance the field of research, we enthusiastically welcome proposals that delve into the themes concerning SMEs and family businesses. We encourage an approach that is multi-theoretical and multilevel, fostering methodological diversity and interdisciplinary collaboration. We firmly believe in the importance of advancing practical and managerial implications, supporting owners-managers, professionals, policymakers, and local communities.

TOPICS

• Theoretical perspectives on SMEs and and family businesses studies
• Methodological perspectives on SMEs and and family businesses studies
• - Entrepreneurial and managerial aspects on SMEs and and family businesses studies
• Behavioural and organizational aspects on SMEs and and family businesses studies

ACTIVITIES

The thematic group aims to:

• Facilitate internal exchanges through friendly reviews, encouraging members to provide informal feedback beneficial for both research progress and article submissions to journals and conferences;
• Promote networking among members to propose special issues on common themes in top-ranked journals;
• Foster collaborations for writing teaching case studies on common interest topics for national series, such as the Pearson SIM SIMA series https://it.pearson.com/docenti/universita/partnership/casi-studio-he.html;
• Encourage the exchange of synergistic ideas for research projects and third mission activities at both national and international levels;
• Extend collaboration to international research groups engaged in similar themes;
• Organize an annual "writing retreat" dedicated to developing writing skills and facilitating discussions among researchers on group-specific topics.

Workshops-Conferences

• Synergies-SIMA Conference (Small & Family Business Track)