Abstract
Starting with a review of the current state-of-the-art of strategic management research in the context of family business we address important research gaps, namely the need for shedding light on processes how family firms may develop and leverage unique resources and competitive capabilities as well as the understudied role of nonfamily employees characteristics. Applying a multi-level, transdisciplinary and multi-method approach we develop a model and methodology to test the assumption that family firms may gain a substantial competitive advantage through developing a workforce that is characterized by exceptional degrees of loyalty and commitment.