Chapter 11: Network Embeddedness and Internationalization in Family Firms: Advancing a Temporal Perspective

This chapter explores the role of time at the intersection of network embeddedness and internationalization in the context of family firms (FFs). FFs are organizations guided not only by economic logic but also by socioemotional wealth (SEW) considerations, with their strategic behaviour shaped by family-related events such as generational transitions, internal conflicts and family governance changes. These temporal dynamics influence how FFs build, activate and adapt embedded relationships to pursue internationalization. While prior research acknowledges the strategic importance of networks in facilitating foreign expansion, it often conceptualizes network embeddedness as a static condition and overlooks the evolving, subjective nature of FF internationalization. To address this gap, the authors propose a three-domain framework and advance theoretical propositions across these interrelated domains to integrate time more meaningfully into the study of network embeddedness and internationalization in FFs. In line with recent calls in international business (IB), this chapter contributes to the existing literature by positioning time not as a backdrop but as a central lens through which FFs’ strategic behaviour should be understood. Accordingly, the authors offer a more dynamic perspective on network embeddedness and internationalization, emphasizing their co-evolution as FFs continuously negotiate between economic goals and SEW priorities alongside family-related events.