Understanding strategy processes in family firms: Exploring the roles of actors and arenas

Abstract

This article contributes to an increased understanding of how strategy processes unfold in family firms by integrating literature on strategy-as-practice and family business strategy. By relying on in-depth case research exploring three small and medium-sized family firms, and by drawing on notions of strategic actors and arenas from the strategy-as-practice literature, the article introduces the concepts of the Simmelian stranger and hybrid arena. These concepts help researchers and practitioners to achieve a richer understanding of how strategy processes unfold in the daily interactions that constitute the strategic work of family firms.