The Influence of Market Orientation and Intra-Family Succession Intentions on the Competitive Positioning of Small Firms

A small firm's orientation toward its market and how it utilizes that orientation to develop a strong competitive position through its marketing activities are of strategic importance. However, research is also needed to understand whether and how a family's continuing involvement in a firm influences its competition position. In this study, we hypothesize that intra-family succession intentions will have both a direct influence on competitive positioning as well as a moderating influence on the relationship between market orientation and competitive positioning. The hypotheses are confirmed with a sample of 842 US small family and non-family firms.