Entrepreneurial Resistance in Italian Medium-Sized Family Firms: Delegation of Power and Strategic Decision Making Processes

During their process of growth firms may face several resistances. Among the different sources of entrepreneurial resistance this paper focuses on delegation as a challenge that leads to rethink power relations. Although the allocation of decisions across organizational agents is important for firms survival, economic researchers have overlooked the decision process in entrepreneurial firms due to the concentration of all decision processes in the entrepreneur. However, there comes a time when the owner-manager is no longer able to handle every aspect of the firm’s running and needs to adjust power allocation. This research explores the sources of entrepreneurial resistances to delegation in Italian medium-sized family businesses and its effectiveness. Based on twenty-one qualitative interviews data were collected and analysed through thematic analysis. Findings showed two main types of entrepreneurial delegation highlighting the impact of formal and informal managerial practices on its effectiveness and efficiency.