The advisory role of non-family board members: a case-based study of a family firm

Abstract

AbstractThe objective of this case-based study is to provide insights into the advisory role of non-family board members in a family firm attempting strategic renewal. By studying the non-family board members of a family firm in a Nordic country, we suggest that non-family board members’ advisory role evolves in a dynamic way. We show at the micro-level how the role, content, intensity, and locus of advice change and how it can be both inertia- and stress-inducing. This facilitates the renewal and hence a firm’s capacity to improve its alignment with changing external demands. We highlight the collaborative nature of the advisory role and the importance of the non-family member chair in ensuring effective board processes. Through our research we contribute to the understanding on the contextual nature of the board roles and tasks and on family firm renewals. We provide insights into how the family firm owners and the chair of the board can enhance the prospects that the non-family board members create value through their advisory role.