التكامل الاقتصادي
Volume 14, Numéro 2, Pages 366-383
2026-06-12
Family Firms And Industrial And Activity Zones: Balancing Territorial Attachment And Economic Rationality
Authors : Idrissou Abdenour . Belkhiri Aimad Edine . Mazouz Khelifa .
Abstract
This study investigates the location behavior of family firms, focusing on their establishment choices within Industrial and Activity Zones, defined as areas dedicated to manufacturing, commercial, and related economic activities. Using a mixed-methods approach that combines qualitative assessment with econometric analysis, the research draws on data from the 2023 Family Business Index, which ranks the 500 largest family-owned firms worldwide. The findings show that, despite their family-oriented ownership structure, these firms predominantly follow an economic logic in their location decisions, prioritizing profitability, accessibility to markets and suppliers, and infrastructure quality. Traditional or sentimental considerations appear secondary, although they may indirectly reinforce the owners' economic rationality by stimulating their desire to ensure the business's survival and preserve the family legacy. Econometric results indicate a significant positive relationship between family board representation and firm revenues, suggesting that greater family involvement aligns with higher economic performance. Overall, the study underscores the role of proximity economics in shaping family firms’ spatial strategies and governance behavior.
Keywords
Family firms; Location behavior; Industrial Zones; Proximity economics; Corporate governance.
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