Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of family firms’ types of social networks on internationalisation. By investigating the mechanisms and the process and complexity regarding the operation, function and impact of social networks, this paper aims to gain insights and understand the dynamism concerning the content, and process as well as build rich and detailed construct analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a qualitative case study as a research strategy to examine the impact of social networks on family firm internationalisation. A qualitative research strategy was used as the impact of networking relations and structure is challenging to be measured statistically.

Findings

The findings suggest that family firm internationalisation was gradual and characterised by an incremental learning process. This process facilitated the networking relations and structures that helped firms improve their quality, product diversification and set competitive prices.

Research limitations/implications

This study’s first limitation is that it focused mainly on low technology manufacturing firms. This paper recommends examining how high technology firms maximise social networks. Secondly, this paper examined family firms; therefore, this paper recommends comparing and contrasting networking relations and family and nonfamily firms' social structure. Thirdly, being limited only to social networks, this study did not focus on the impact of ownership; this paper suggests future studies to examine family ownership and involvement in firm internationalisation.

Originality/value

Understanding how firms’ social network types influence family firms’ internationalisation in a transition economy is critical to ensuring family businesses’ expansion. This study explains how family firms use social networks to internationalise, extending the current understanding of family business literature in transition economies. It also provides implications for policymakers and family firms managers for improving the growth prospects of family businesses.

中文翻译：

---

社交网络和家族企业国际化：来自转型经济的案例

目的

本研究的目的是检验家族企业的社交网络类型对国际化的影响。通过研究社交网络的运作、功能和影响的机制、过程和复杂性，本文旨在深入了解和理解内容和过程的动态，并构建丰富而详细的构造分析。

设计/方法/方法

本研究使用定性案例研究作为研究策略来检验社交网络对家族企业国际化的影响。由于网络关系和结构的影响难以进行统计测量，因此使用了定性研究策略。

发现

研究结果表明，家族企业的国际化是渐进的，并以渐进的学习过程为特征。这一过程促进了网络关系和结构，帮助公司提高质量、产品多样化并制定有竞争力的价格。

研究限制/影响

这项研究的第一个限制是它主要关注低技术制造公司。本文建议研究高科技公司如何最大化社交网络。其次，本文考察了家族企业；因此，本文建议比较和对比网络关系以及家族和非家族企业的社会结构。第三，仅限于社交网络，本研究没有关注所有权的影响；本文建议未来的研究来检验家族所有权和企业国际化的参与。

原创性/价值

了解企业的​​社交网络类型如何影响转型经济中的家族企业国际化对于确保家族企业的扩张至关重要。本研究解释了家族企业如何利用社交网络实现国际化，扩展了当前对转型经济中家族企业文献的理解。它还为政策制定者和家族企业管理者改善家族企业的增长前景提供了启示。