Why are non-family employees intrapreneurially active in family firms? A multiple case study

Abstract

This study sheds light on the intrapreneurial motivation of non-family employees in family firms. Although family involvement is known to enhance workforce motivation to contribute innovative ideas toward the firm’s improvement, what motivates non-family employees in family firms and the role the enterprising family plays therein remain underexplored. Therefore, we conduct a multiple case study using a dyadic sample of interviews with owner-managers and non-family employees in nine German family firms. The cross-case analysis shows that in firms with strong enterprising family influence, the identification of non-family employees is heightened, intrinsically motivating them to become intrapreneurially active. Our findings also reveal that in family firms with reduced enterprising family influence, this intrinsic motivation decreases. Furthermore, we observe the establishment of certain business mechanisms in these firms aimed at fostering the extrinsic motivation of non-family employees.