Family Ownership After Going Public: Exploring Nonlinear Effect on Innovation Inputs and the Role of Institutional Investors

Understanding the drivers of innovation in family firms is essential for their survival. While previous studies have mainly investigated innovation behaviours in private or public family firms, we focus on their R&D investment in the year following an IPO. Observing family firms in this context is crucial because it allows to analyse their propensity to innovate when financing constraints are relaxed. This work aims to investigate whether a relationship exists between R&D expenditures and family ownership in the setting of Initial Public Offerings (IPOs). Using a sample of IPOs in the period 2013–2018 by 132 French and Italian family and non-family firms, results reveal the existence of a U-shaped relationship in this regard. In addition, the curvilinear relationship is positively influenced by institutional investors. This study contributes to the debate around family firms’ innovation propensity, as well as to the literature on the heterogeneity among family firms.