Family Business Model and Practices of Sustainability

Dear Colleagues,

Overarching Objective

Family business studies have increasingly highlighted the importance of managing relationships between the company and its stakeholders. Early studies, such as by Stafford et al. (1999), stated that it is necessary for family business research to take into account environmental problems—which have become increasingly relevant, especially since the development of theories such as functionality, ecology, and development—and the authors pay particular attention to the concept of sustainability loans. Thus, the first steps related to sustainability models applied to family businesses have been proposed by Stafford et al. (1999), presenting the sustainability model of the family business (SFBR).

This rapid environmental deterioration has led to most industrialized countries reaching new agreements that imply a reorientation of the way we are producing that is in accordance with the commitments of the Paris Agreement (2015) and within the framework of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change, where measures were established to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide from 2020.

In addition, the new policy approaches adopted by the European Union require companies to change from their current position to the new scenario of the circular economy (EC), according to the regulations of the European Commission (2012, 2015a).

Family businesses that have mainly been characterized by their long-term orientation are granted a horizon before being forced to lead the transition from the exhausted linear economy model to more long-term sustainable and respectful concepts.

The main objective of this Special Issue is to generate a conceptual theoretical framework to serve as a reference for the generation of new management models for family businesses within the framework of sustainability and the circular economy. Moreover, we wish to analyze the new business models that are adopted by family businesses and are related to sustainability.

Scope of Application

The scope of application would be that of the family business sector and would include all the productive sectors in which family businesses carry out their production and service provision activities. We consider that the scope of application is transversal.

The analysis of the influence of the family in the adoption of new business models presents a variety of possible lines of research which can be made from the review of family business circular economy. According to European regulations, many public tenders in the future will require companies that have applied circularity. It is therefore a source of venture before which family businesses can position themselves.

Purpose of the Special Issue

Family businesses must play a very active role in the fight against climate change and in this sense from the world of academia we must transfer research transfer results to the owners and managers of this important business sector. For this reason, this special issue is to become a reference point for researchers to put concepts, methodologies and research results into value and to serve as a reference for the owners and managers of family businesses.

The topic can be an important reference for all those interested in the knowledge of new forms of management of organizations where sustainability is key to the design of new strategies. I believe that the generation of research generated by this special issue can provide important knowledge both in the generation of bibliographic / bibliometric reviews that show us the current state of the art of this issue, the creation of new topics, research methodologies and especially the generation of research transfer results that serve as a reference for owners and managers of this type of companies.

In short, this special issue can provide important data and good practices within the theme of sustainability and it could to be implemented on the reality of this type of companies.

References:

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Dr. Valentín Molina-Moreno
Guest Editor

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• Eco-innovation
• Sustainability and agriculture residual
• Sustainable social inclusion
• Circular economy in family business
• Family Business
• Tecnhological nutrient
• Resources Management 3R
• Supply Chain Inverse
• Sustainability Indicator Scorecard (SIC)
• Transition to sustenability /case studies
• Sustainable tourism
• New sustainable crops
• Social sustainability and organic agriculture
• Bioeconomy
• Sustainable family farms
• Biodynamic farming/agriculture
• Sustainable infraestructures
• Renewable energies