TY - JOUR
T1 - Firm-level innovation by Japanese family firms
T2 - Empirical analysis using multidimensional innovation measures
AU - Kubota, Keiichi
AU - Takehara, Hitoshi
PY - 2019/10
Y1 - 2019/10
N2 - This study investigates whether innovation activities conducted by family firms in Japan can be distinguished from those carried out by non-family firms. For this purpose, we choose a sample of listed family firms and investigate four firm-level innovation measures, namely R&D intensity, the number of patents, the quality of patents, and innovation efficiency, over a sample period of 2003 to 2012. We find that innovation output by family firms in Japan is lower than that of non-family firms, although innovation input is higher in family firms. The innovation of Japanese family firms, overall, is inefficient compared with non-family firms. Our cross-sectional regression analysis shows that family shareholding is positively associated with the innovation measures after controlling for several of the characteristics of firms. On the contrary, founder CEOs enhance R&D investment, although their presence is detrimental to both the number of patents and their quality. Descendant CEOs tend to adopt low-input/low-output innovation strategies. In sum, the innovative activities of Japanese family firms continually change to accomplish their sustainable growth.
AB - This study investigates whether innovation activities conducted by family firms in Japan can be distinguished from those carried out by non-family firms. For this purpose, we choose a sample of listed family firms and investigate four firm-level innovation measures, namely R&D intensity, the number of patents, the quality of patents, and innovation efficiency, over a sample period of 2003 to 2012. We find that innovation output by family firms in Japan is lower than that of non-family firms, although innovation input is higher in family firms. The innovation of Japanese family firms, overall, is inefficient compared with non-family firms. Our cross-sectional regression analysis shows that family shareholding is positively associated with the innovation measures after controlling for several of the characteristics of firms. On the contrary, founder CEOs enhance R&D investment, although their presence is detrimental to both the number of patents and their quality. Descendant CEOs tend to adopt low-input/low-output innovation strategies. In sum, the innovative activities of Japanese family firms continually change to accomplish their sustainable growth.
KW - Family control
KW - Family ownership
KW - Patent information
KW - R&D expenditure
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85047981905&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1016/j.pacfin.2018.05.012
DO - 10.1016/j.pacfin.2018.05.012
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85047981905
VL - 57
JO - Pacific Basin Finance Journal
JF - Pacific Basin Finance Journal
SN - 0927-538X
M1 - 101030
ER -