Do Family Firm Sellers Consider Stewardship in M&A Decisions?

This study examines whether, when acting as sellers in M&A transactions, privately held firms set sales conditions and make buyer selection decisions that reflect stewardship considerations. Using unique data on M&A involving privately held small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), our analysis reveals that many set sales conditions which reflect their preferences for stewardship-orientation. However, we do not find that family firms are more likely to do so, nor to select buyers with less informational asymmetry, than non-family firms. These findings indicate that in M&A transactions, privately held firms behave as suggested by stewardship theory, but there are no significant differences between family and non-family firms.