Succession Planning and its Impact on Business Performance: A bibliometric Method to Identify Future Research in Family Firms

Abstract

Our study employs a multifaceted bibliometric analysis to map the intellectual landscape of succession planning in family businesses and its impact on performance. It was based on articles from the Web of Science database from 2017 to 2023. Utilizing VOSviewer software for the analysis, various mapping techniques such as co-authorship networks, geographical dispersion, and keyword co-occurrence were deployed. The findings underscore an increasing scholarly interest in family business succession yet point out a waning emphasis on the planning aspects and their direct implications for business performance. Notably, the study detects a substantial research gap in the Latin American context, suggesting potential for socially and practically high-impact contributions. This study enhances the existing literature by revealing these nuanced trends and gaps and employs a unique methodological approach, using bibliometric analysis to highlight critical interconnections between crucial terms. Thus, the research paves the way for future academic endeavors while offering practitioners actionable insights.