Impact of Family Control and Influence on Financing Decisions of Family Firms: A Case of Pakistani Family Firms in the Prospective of Socioemotional Wealth

Abstract

This study focuses on the financing choices of family firms under the umbrella of Socioemotional wealth. It investigates how a family firm makes its financing policy based on persuasion of a non-financial goal which is the need to maintain family control over the business. In the context of non-financial Pakistani listed firms in the Pakistan Stock Exchange, with data range starts from 2009 to 2020. Our results show that family firms with a high need to maintain their family control over the business have high debt levels. Similarly having family representation on the board shows a positive relationship with debt financing. We also conclude that having a family CEO is also linked with the use of extensive debt. Our findings are consistent with the view that Socioemotional wealth is an important determinant of making important financial decisions.