What is Family Control

This chapter investigates R&D investment in publicly listed family firms, and highlights the distinctions between these and non-family firms. The empirical study draws on data on German firms and their level of R&D expenditure between 2001 and 2012. The study finds that family firms spend more on R&D than non-family firms, confirming findings from the literature that long-term business orientation, superior performance and entrepreneurial success are characteristics of family firms. The research helps explain the differences between the R&D investment activities of family and non-family firms and contributes to the understanding of R&D activities of family firms, suggesting that family ownership is responsible for their strong entrepreneurial and innovation orientation.