Knowledge management through information and communication technology investments: the story of Indian family firms

PurposeInformation and communication technologies (ICT) are indispensable tools for Knowledge Management (KM) practices in today’s knowledge-intensive and globally interconnected marketplace. This paper seeks to investigate the impact of family ownership on ICT investments in an emerging economy (EE) context.Design/methodology/approachThis empirical paper uses data from 300 large Indian listed firms with 2,650 observations in the period 2008–2017, to test its hypothesis.FindingsThe results indicate that family firms are not favourably inclined towards ICT investments for formalizing their KM practices. However, under certain contexts, such as higher foreign institutional ownership or business group affiliation, they are more willing to invest in ICT resources.Practical implicationsThis study establishes a nuanced understanding of how family firms approach ICT investments and KM practices. This research can help family owners/managers to commit sufficient resources on ICT projects.Originality/valueLiterature on KM has largely emanated from developed countries. This is one of the first papers from an EE context that studies the impact of family ownership on ICT investments and subsequent KM practices. In this way, this paper offers specific insights into the context of Indian family firms and offers some interesting findings that can contribute to the literature, policy and practice.