Abstract:

Research on family businesses in Saudi Arabia has grown substantially over the past two decades, generating a considerable body of literature examining their characteristics and economic impact. However, a comprehensive evaluation of this research remains limited. This study provides a systematic review of the existing literature to identify prevailing research trends, methodological approaches, and emerging implications. A total of 37 academic and professional articles published between 2001 and 2018 were analyzed.

The findings indicate that: (1) the majority of studies focus on firm performance; (2) explanatory variables affecting performance are primarily derived from corporate governance and management frameworks, with comparatively less attention given to organizational culture; (3) limited evidence exists regarding regional or tribal differences among family firms; and (4) research in this field is predominantly quantitative, relying heavily on data from listed companies and board-level information, while qualitative investigations remain scarce. Based on these findings, the study proposes several recommendations to advance future research and strengthen both theoretical development and practical applications in the field of family business studies.

Please choose your submission type: Developmental Paper

Primary Track: Entrepreneurship

Keywords: Entrepreneurship Theories

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Dr. Jaithen Alharbi

Biography