Knowledge management in family businesses: a systematic assessment and future research agenda

Purpose The purpose of this study is to uncover thematic areas that highlight the role of knowledge management in the family business literature. Despite the proliferation of literature on the intersection of knowledge management and family business over the past two decades, we lack an understanding of why knowledge management is unique in the context of family firms and how knowledge management is introduced and implemented. The relatively sparse systematic review studies on the topic are surprising as they facilitate the theory-building process by mapping existing thematic areas of research and uncovering open research gaps. Design/methodology/approach Aiming to review the literature on knowledge management in family businesses and identify gaps, the authors conducted a systematic literature review to examine 72 articles on the intersection of knowledge management and family business. Findings Thematic analysis of the selected articles revealed five key themes: succession, entrepreneurial behaviour, trust, enablers and barriers and outcomes of knowledge management. The authors synthesize the findings into a conceptual framework and propose future research directions to enhance understanding in the family business context. Research limitations/implications The authors conclude by elucidating the study’s limitations and theoretical implications. The key implication is that family businesses can leverage knowledge management to ensure successful inter-generational knowledge transfer and foster an entrepreneurial culture that shapes innovation and risk-taking. Practical implications Trust among internal and external stakeholders can hasten the transfer of knowledge and mitigate knowledge hiding. Originality/value The authors synthesise the findings into a conceptual framework. The authors propose future research directions to enhance understanding in the family business context and conclude by elucidating the study’s limitations and theoretical implications.