Working on a dream – Resources and management of family businesses in winemaking
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14267/VEZTUD.2026.03.02Keywords:
resources, familiness, resource management, wineries, competitive advantageAbstract
The performance of family firms depends critically on how they recognize, configure, and leverage their resource base, particularly the intangible, family-derived elements commonly referred to as familiness. This study examines Hungarian family-owned wineries with the aim of identifying their key resources, exploring their dual – both advantageous and constraining – nature, and analysing how they become embedded in everyday operations. Drawing on qualitative interviews and the existing literature, the paper introduces three novel theoretical contributions: a dynamic, life-cycle-dependent interpretation of familiness, the identification of status quo preference as a previously underexplored mechanism that inhibits the deployment of VRIN resources, and the concept of a “natural VRIN configuration” emerging from the integration of physical (e.g., terroir) and family-based intangible resources. Based on these insights, the author develops a holistic, seven-step, iterative resource-management model that links theoretical perspectives with practical managerial processes and deepens the understanding of resource dynamics in family firms.
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