Facing COVID-19 challenges. What's so special in family businesses?

Purpose – This study aims to explore the main drivers that family businesses possess to strengthen their resilience during the COVID-19 crisis. Design/methodology/approach – This study followed a quantitative method analysis through a multiple regression analysis based on a sample of 570 Italian family firms. Findings – The results showed that job quality and innovation significantly stimulate family firms’ resilience during the COVID-19 crisis. Practical implications – The study has several academic implications. Firstly, the study contributes to family firm research by extending the studies on factors that significantly influence the concept of resilience; secondly, the work contributes to crisis management, offering suggestions to help other firms exceed the COVID-19 crisis. Originality/value – The present study clarifies the role of family firms’ resilience, and it reveals how job quality and innovation play a meaningful role during the COVID-19 crisis.