The analysis of successors’ competencies in family enterprises with the use of grey system theory

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to analyse the relationships between the competency structure of the successors of family enterprises in Poland and dimensions like gender, self-awareness of development, taking their ideas into consideration in shaping the strategy of the firm and the size of the firm. Design/methodology/approach – Grey relational analysis was employed to analyse the empirical material in the paper. The results of the analysis served a more thorough qualitative analysis of the subject of the family enterprise successors’ competencies by comparing them to theoretical assumptions and other research within this scope. Findings – In the paper, the relation was shown between the structure of family firm successors’ competencies and the variables such as gender, development self-awareness, taking their ideas into consideration in shaping the strategy of the firm and the size of the firm. Research limitations/implications – The research was conducted in Poland and therefore its generalisation has limited scope resulting from the cultural and historical conditioning. Practical implications – The results of the research may serve the creation of tools and methods of succession process management in a family enterprise. Originality/value – The paper presents the possibilities of employing grey system theory in the research remaining within the scope of the subject of succession in family enterprises, as a tool complementing qualitative analysis.