Changing institutional logics as evidenced in accounting reports – the control management of Barilla SpA by W. R. Grace and Co., 1971–1979

Purpose This study aims to examine how institutional logic evolved in the narrative elements of Barilla’s annual reports and accounts as the company transitioned from being a family-owned business to ownership and management by US-based W. R. Grace and Co. (1971–1979), and its subsequent reacquisition by the Barilla family. Design/methodology/approach Data were gathered from the annual reports of W. R. Grace and Co. and the Board of Directors’ Reports of Barilla (1968–1979), various legal records and other sources. The concept of institutional logic is used to investigate Barilla, focusing on the potential emergence of new logic sets during Grace’s ownership. Findings The analysis suggests a shift in the institutional logic of the firm, with a decline in family-driven logic and an increase in market- and corporation-driven logic. These changes appear to have been at least financially successful. In addition, the analysis highlights how multiple logics coexisted and were not necessarily in conflict. Originality/value This study sheds light on a previously unexplored transitional phase that bridged the early dynastic period of Barilla, the global leader in the pasta industry, to its subsequent long-lasting success. By doing so, this research provides novel insights into a rarely occurring transition management process, complementing and stimulating studies on succession and the role of transitional actors in linking a family firm’s past ownership to future generations.