Purpose

Learning in organizations is well-recognized as a key determinant of innovation and success in competitive markets, and a rich literature examines learning mechanisms in large-sized and professionally-run organizations. Relatively little is known about the learning processes in family-run firms, most of whom are small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) led by a single family SME owner-manager connected in a family network. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate how family SME owner-managers engage in learning and how those learning processes are affected by family SME-specific characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

Using pragmatic learning theory as an interpretive lens, this study conducts a qualitative multi-case study involving 61 interviews in family SMEs with family SME owner-managers, family members, employees and customers.

Findings

The within- and cross-case analysis helps identify the mechanisms, barriers and enablers of learning and innovation in family SMEs. The study develops and pinpoints the family owner managers’ “functional overload” as a major barrier to learning and employee empowerment, family-members’ support and customer feedback as critical resources in overcoming such functional overload. Yet, these resources turn out to be major amplifiers of functional overload in later phases of the learning process, thus impeding learning and innovation.

Originality/value

The study provides novel insights into learning processes and innovation within family SMEs, outlines the double-edged involvement of family members, employees and customers for learning processes, and provides nuance to pragmatic learning theory.

中文翻译：

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家族中小企业的务实学习：家族中小企业所有者-经理功能超负荷的定性研究

目的

组织中的学习被公认为是竞争市场中创新和成功的关键决定因素，丰富的文献研究了大型和专业经营的组织中的学习机制。对家族企业的学习过程知之甚少，其中大多数是由连接在家族网络中的单一家族 SME 所有者-经理领导的中小型企业 (SME)。因此，本研究的目的是调查家庭中小企业所有者-经理如何参与学习，以及这些学习过程如何受到家庭中小企业特定特征的影响。

设计/方法/方法

本研究使用实用学习理论作为解释镜头，进行了一项定性的多案例研究，涉及 61 次家族中小企业的访谈，其中包括家族中小企业所有者-经理、家庭成员、员工和客户。

发现

案例内和跨案例分析有助于确定家庭中小企业学习和创新的机制、障碍和推动因素。该研究将家庭所有者经理的“职能超负荷”作为学习和员工授权的主要障碍，家庭成员的支持和客户反馈是克服这种职能超负荷的关键资源。然而，这些资源在学习过程的后期阶段成为功能超负荷的主要放大器，从而阻碍了学习和创新。

原创性/价值

该研究为家庭中小企业的学习过程和创新提供了新的见解，概述了家庭成员、员工和客户对学习过程的双重参与，并为实用学习理论提供了细微差别。