Purpose: Analyzing the effect of digitalization strategies and barriers to digital transformation (DT) on the use of technologies, in the Brazilian context, is necessary to broaden the understanding of topics in emerging economies. Thus, empirical research to evaluate and analyze aspects related to DT in small and medium-sized family businesses in an emerging economy is necessary, as it is a necessary strategic alternative in the current context.Design/methodology/approach: Using data from a survey conducted with 210 managers of Brazilian family businesses, the authors analyzed the positive cause and effect relationship between digitalization strategy and technology use. In addition, the authors seek to explore the moderating effect of barriers to digital development on the relationship between digitalization strategy and technology use. This analysis was conducted using the structural equation modeling technique, with the help of SmartPLS 4.0 software.Findings: The findings confirm the positive relationship between the implementation of digitalization strategies and technology usage in small family businesses, thereby contributing to the broader analysis of how small family businesses employ and define their digitalization strategies. Furthermore, the authors identified barriers that hinder the development and utilization of technology for digitalization purposes.Originality/value: This study fills gaps in empirical research by explaining the factors that drive barriers to DT in small family businesses. It contributes to advancing the understanding of digitalization strategies used by family SMEs and identifies the real strategic value opportunities that DT represents for businesses.

This study aimed to analyze how the interface occurs between the management control systems (MCSs) and the strategy and performance measures in a family business, from the perspective of Contingency Theory. The relevance of the theme lies in understanding how the use of the managerial levers from the Levers of Control (LOC) model (Simons, 1995) is perceived by the senior management of a family business in the interface with the strategy and performance measures. In terms of its impact in the area, this article broadens the field of research that uses the LOC model together with strategy and performance measures in family businesses. The research methodology used combined methods, operationalized by the case study procedure. The content analysis was performed using coded categories based on the literature and selected passages from the interviews, observation, and documents, by means of qualitative analysis software. As a result, it was observed that the family management designed by the controlling owner, with an entrepreneurial vision, working together (father and sons), and the organizational values of the family unit (belief systems), showed particularities of the family-business duality that contributed to the implementation of the strategy and the use of performance measures. It is also inferred that the two systems (diagnostic controls and interactive controls) are complementary in the organization and that the “customized control” produced by the integrated management system is an adjustment of the MCS to the contingencies in order to enable the interface with the strategy and performance measures. The study revealed that the family values present in the management take form in the belief systems that shape the use of the MCSs and in the strategic behavior of the organization, which is an element that is barely discussed in Simons (1995) and opens up room for new research.

This study aims to analyze the influence of digital transformation on innovation and the moderating role of barriers to digitalization in this relationship within Brazilian micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The sample comprises 731 Brazilian MSMEs. The findings indicate that digital transformation, characterized by digitalization strategies and technology usage, has a positive and significant impact on innovation. Moreover, barriers to digitalization negatively and significantly affect the relationship between digital transformation and innovation, but this effect is observed only in medium-sized enterprises. This study contributes to strategic management practices by providing insights into the role of digital transformation in business innovation. Future research should investigate why barriers to digitalization do not consistently impact the relationship between digital transformation and innovation.

This literature review systematizes and analyzes the results of studies on innovation in family businesses, considering the involvement of the family. Following the protocol of a systematic review of literature, relevant studies on the topic were identified and analyzed. The results show that family businesses have distinct resources and capacities that are difficult to duplicate, resulting from the interaction of the family system with the business system itself. These capabilities enable family members to interact with the business system in a quick, flexible, and unstructured way, which promotes company competition and supports innovation. This study contributes to understanding that family involvement may increase and restrict the components of the capacity for innovation and these effects may imply the competitive advantage of the family business. The effects of family involvement demonstrate the heterogeneity among family businesses and offer insight into how these companies manage and are capable of maximizing or minimizing the effects of such involvement on company innovation. At the end of this review, we present a structure of topics related to innovation based on family involvement derived from the categorization and analysis of the reviewed studies.

Purpose: The factors driving the performance of family businesses have attracted significant interest in scientific research. This study aimed to analyze the influence of organizational ambidexterity on entrepreneurial orientation and performance in family businesses, examining the mediating role of entrepreneurial orientation. Design/methodology/approach: Characterized as a descriptive survey with a quantitative approach, this study utilized structural equation modeling and partial least squares regression to test the formulated hypotheses. A total of 129 respondents from family businesses participated in this research. Findings: The findings indicate that organizational ambidexterity and entrepreneurial orientation influenced the organizational performance of family businesses. Furthermore, organizational ambidexterity impacted entrepreneurial orientation, which, in turn, mediated the relationship between organizational ambidexterity and organizational performance. Originality/value: To date, few studies have thoroughly examined the interconnection between organizational ambidexterity, entrepreneurial orientation and organizational performance. This study explores the factors that guide entrepreneurship management in family businesses within emerging economies. As such, our research contributes to the field of organizational ambidexterity and entrepreneurial orientation, suggesting that managers should focus on both market-driven and internal approaches to enhance organizational performance.