The study of the roles, impact, and challenges associated with nonfamily members in family firms has generated considerable attention in the literature. To gain an appreciation of this body of knowledge, we systematically review 82 articles on nonfamily members in family firms that were published in 34 journals over the past three decades. We synthesize the literature according to three broad, yet overlapping themes: preemployment considerations, employment considerations, and outcomes of nonfamily employment. We then offer a future research agenda that integrates these themes to guide the advancement of knowledge on nonfamily members in family firms.
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