Adapting to dynamic business environments : a comparative study of family and non-family firms operating in Western Australia

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine adaptation to a dynamic business environment from the perspective of family and non-family firms. Furthermore, the study provides a comparative component and proposes a theoretical framework to understand firm adaptation, incorporating the dynamic capabilities approach. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured, in-depth, face-to-face interviews were undertaken predominantly with firm owners and managers of family and non-family-owned firms operating in Western Australia. Findings: Regardless of firms’ family or non-family background, valuable, rare, imperfectly imitable and non-substitutable attributes were strongly associated with both groups. Moreover, expertise, tacit and new knowledge, innovation or established brand image emerged as key adaptive responses to challenges posed by new trends, consumer expectations, increased demand or competition. These attributes allowed firms to sense and seize opportunities, and experience transformational processes to remain competitive. Implications of the findings and future research directions will be discussed. Originality/value: First, and empirically, the study’s objectives contribute to addressing extant research gaps, including scant research on methodologies and innovative approaches used by family firms to adapt to contemporary challenges. Thus, the study complements entrepreneurship scholarly discourses on firms’ adaptation. Second, the chosen inductive approach results in the development of a framework, which also exhibits various relationships with the adopted dynamic capabilities approach. Both the findings and the developed framework enhance the understanding of adaptive behaviour among both family and non-family firms. Finally, the study contributes to the literature examining firms operating in geographically dispersed and isolated regions.