Massimo Bau

Centerledare CeFEO
CeFEO - Centre for Family Entrepreneurship and Ownership , Jönköping International Business School
Professor Family Entrepreneurship and Ownership
Företagsekonomi , Jönköping International Business School
Doktor i företagsekonomi
Presentation Publikationer

Massimo Baù is Professor in Business Administration with focus on Family Entrepreneurship and Ownership at the Jönköping International Business School (JIBS) in Sweden and Director of the Centre for Family Entrepreneurship and Ownership (CeFEO).

He is the Research Director and a member of the Board of the International Family Enterprise Research Academy (IFERA), Fellow of the Family Firms Institute (FFI), member of the Academic Advisory Board of the Boards Impact Forum, and co-founder of the European Family Business Centers (EuFBC) Network.

Moreover, he is an Affiliated Faculty member of the Family Business Institute at the Grossman School of Business, University of Vermont, as well as a member of the Scientific Committee of the National Centre for Family Business at Dublin City University, and the Scientific Committee of the Family Business Lab at LIUC Cattaneo University.

Massimo Baù is also a family business advisor, working with the consulting group Generation6 to educate and guide family businesses in shaping enduring legacies across generations.

He joined JIBS and CeFEO in 2012 after receiving a PhD in Business Administration from the University of Udine (Italy) in 2011, writing a thesis entitled "Family Embeddedness and Entrepreneurial Entry" under the supervision of Cristiana Compagno (University of Udine) and Mattias Nordqvist (JIBS).

His research interests are related to the entrepreneurial process in three main research areas. First, family dynamics and the influence of family members on the actor's decision of entry and exit into the entrepreneurial process. Second, academic entrepreneurship and factors enabling new venture start-up and technology transfer. Third, firms’ growth paths through collaborative agreements and inter-firm networks. He explores these phenomena using a quantitative approach and often adopting Big Data analysis techniques with different datasets, including Statistics Sweden.

His contributions have been published in numerous leading journals, including Academy of Management Journal (2025), Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice (2023; 2020; 2019; 2017), Journal of Management Studies (2025), Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal (2025), Long Range Planning (2019), Small Business Economics (2021; 2013), Journal of Business Ethics (2020), Strategic Organization (2022), Entrepreneurship and Regional Development (2025a; 2025b; 2024; 2021), International Small Business Journal (2022), Journal of Small Business Management (2014), Business Strategy and the Environment (2024), and Journal of Family Business Strategy (2024; 2020a; 2020b). He is a member of the editorial review board of Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, and Journal of Family Business Strategy. Additionally, he serves as editor for FamilyBusiness.org.

His teaching activities focus on Family Business, Entrepreneurship, Creativity, Design Thinking, and Research Methods. He is currently the examiner of several family business courses at the Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral levels, including executive programs such as Family Business for Next Generation and Family Business Management, and doctoral courses like Theoretical Perspectives of Family Business and Family Business Research Methods.

He is the Research Director and a member of the Board of IFERA. He is also the Director of the IFERA Summer School on Family Business Research Methods, organized as a partnership between IFERA and CeFEO. He has served as Chair of the IFERA Conference (2017).

Since 2021, he has chaired the EIASM Workshop on Family Business Management in collaboration with Kajsa Haag. They organized four EIASM Workshops with several universities, such as EuFBC (online, 2021), University of Cork (Cork, 2022), University of Naples Federico II (Naples, 2023), and ESADE Business School (Barcelona, 2024). Moreover, he served as Chair of the Family Business Strategic Interest Group at the European Academy of Management (EURAM) conference (2015-2018).

He is a Fellow of the Family Firms Institute (Boston), the leading global association for family enterprise professionals. FFI Fellow is the highest level of professional designation within the organization. Moreover, he has received the Certificate in Family Business Advising (CFBA), the Certificate in Advanced Family Business Advising (ACFBA), and the Certificate in Family Wealth Advising (CFWA) from the Family Firms Institute (FFI, Boston, MA). FFI is an international professional membership organization of over 1800 individuals and organizations across 88 countries, dedicated to providing interdisciplinary education and networking opportunities for family business and family wealth advisors, consultants, educators, and researchers.

He is a member of the Academic Advisory Board of the Board Impact Forum, the Nordic chapter of the Climate Governance Initiative, which collaborates with the World Economic Forum. This initiative aims to engage Nordic and international board directors to accelerate climate actions and innovation for sustainable business and a sustainable world.

Moreover, he is a Certified Trained Facilitator of LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methodology and a Babson Fellow in Entrepreneurship Education.

Artikel

Eddleston, K., Sieger, P., Chirico, F., Baù, M. (2025). The King Is Dead – Long Live Who?: A family and firm embeddedness perspective on succession after the ceo-owner’s sudden death Journal of Management Studies. More information
Chirico, F., Hoskisson, R., Pathak, S., Baù, M. (2025). Calm in the storm: Job security and postmerger performance in family versus non-family firms Academy of Management Journal, 68(4), 845-869. More information
Girma Aragaw, Z., Haag, K., Baù, M. (2025). Contextualizing corporate entrepreneurship: a systematic review and future research agenda. More information
Campopiano, G., Brumana, M., Baù, M., Calabro, A. (2024). External corporate venturing in family firms: a behavioural perspective Entrepreneurship and Regional Development. More information
Ehlers, A., Rumble, R., Binz Astrachan, C., Baù, M. (2024). Fulfillment or status: Job seekers’ reward expectations towards family and non-family employers The Journal of Family Business Strategy, 15(4). More information
Baù, M., Karlsson, J., Haag, K., Pittino, D., Chirico, F. (2024). Employee layoffs in times of crisis: do family firms differ? Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 36(5-6), 722-744. More information
Brunelli, S., Sciascia, S., Baù, M. (2024). Nonfinancial reporting in family firms: A systematic review and agenda for future research. More information
Gómez-Mejia, L., Chirico, F., Martin, G., Baù, M. (2023). Best Among the Worst or Worst Among the Best? Socioemotional Wealth and Risk-Performance Returns for Family and Non-Family Firms Under Financial Distress Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice, 47(4), 1031-1058. More information
Minola, T., Baù, M., Brumana, M., De Massis, A. (2022). Under which circumstances do family SMES achieve high growth?: A behavioural perspective International Small Business Journal, 40(6), 768-798. More information
Quigley, T., Chirico, F., Baù, M. (2022). Does the CEO effect on performance differ in private versus public firms? Strategic Organization, 20(3), 652-673. More information
Ramírez-Pasillas, M., Nordqvist, M., Baù, M., Sharma, P., Sharma, S., Radu-Lefebvre, M. (2021). Embracing the Biosphere, Supporting Humanity - A Call to Explore Sustainable Development in Family Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship and Regional Development. More information
Baù, M., Block, J., Discua Cruz, A., Naldi, L. (2021). Bridging locality and internationalization – A research agenda on the sustainable development of family firms Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 33(7-8), 477-492. More information
Naldi, L., Baù, M., Ahl, H., Markowska, M. (2021). Gender (in)equality within the household and business start-up among mothers Small Business Economics, 56, 903-918. More information
Chirico, F., Criaco, G., Baù, M., Naldi, L., Gomez-Mejia, L., Kotlar, J. (2020). To patent or not to patent: That is the question. Intellectual property protection in family firms Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice, 44(2), 339-367. More information
Baù, M., Pittino, D., Sieger, P., Eddleston, K. (2020). Careers in family business: New avenues for careers and family business research in the 21st century The Journal of Family Business Strategy, 11(3). More information
Pittino, D., Chirico, F., Baù, M., Villasana, M., Naranjo-Priego, E., Barron, E. (2020). Starting a family business as a career option: The role of the family household in Mexico The Journal of Family Business Strategy, 11(2). More information
Astrachan, J., Binz Astrachan, C., Campopiano, G., Baù, M. (2020). Values, Spirituality and Religion: Family Business and the Roots of Sustainable Ethical Behavior Journal of Business Ethics, 163, 637-645. More information
Iyer, D., Baù, M., Chirico, F., Patel, P., Brush, T. (2019). The triggers of local and distant search: Relative magnitude and persistence in explaining acquisition relatedness Long range planning, 52(5). More information
Baù, M., Chirico, F., Pittino, D., Backman, M., Klaesson, J. (2019). Roots to grow: Family firms and local embeddedness in rural and urban contexts Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice, 43(2), 360-385. More information
Baù, M., Sieger, P., Eddleston, K., Chirico, F. (2017). Fail but try again? The effects of age, gender, and multiple-owner experience on failed entrepreneurs’ reentry Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice, 41(6), 909-941. More information
Baù, M., Block, J., Cruz, A., Naldi, L. (2017). Locality and internationalization of family firms Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 29(5-6), 570-574. More information
Baù, M., Pittino, D., Sieger, P., Eddleston, K. (2016). Special Issue: “Career issues in family business: Understanding career ladders and glass ceilings” call for papers The Journal of Family Business Strategy, 7(4), 272-273. More information
Chirico, F., Baù, M. (2014). Is the Family an "Asset" or "Liability" for Firm Performance? The Moderating Role of Environmental Dynamism Journal of Small Business Management, 52(2), 210-225. More information
Nordqvist, M., Wennberg, K., Baù, M., Hellerstedt, K. (2013). An Entrepreneurial Process Perspective on Succession in Family Firms Small Business Economics, 40(4), 1087-1122. More information
Pittino, D., Visintin, F., Baù, M., Mazzurana, P. (2013). Collaborative technology strategies and innovation in family firms International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 17(1/2/3), 8-27. More information
Lauto, G., Baù, M., Compagno, C. (2013). Individual and institutional drivers of technology transfer in open innovation Industry & higher education, 27(1), 27-39. More information
Mazzurana, P., Baù, M. (2012). Accordi strategici: analisi delle determinanti di successo e insuccesso: Il caso Sedia spa Microimpresa, 29, 45-65. More information

Bok

Compagno, C. Visintin, F. Pittino, D. Baù, M. Fornasier, E. Lauto, G. , ... Chiarvesio M. (2011). Misurare le performance innovative di un sistema regionale. More information

Doktorsavhandling

Baù, M. (2011). Family Embeddedness and the Entrepreneurial Entry (Doctoral thesis). University of Udine More information

Antologibidrag

Lauto, G., Baù, M., Compagno, C. (2015). Individual and institutional drivers of technology transfer in open innovation. In: Jay Mitra, John Edmondson (Ed.), Entrepreneurship and Knowledge Exchange (pp. 27 -39). London: Routledge More information
Baù, M., Hellerstedt, K., Nordqvist, M., Wennberg, K. (2013). Succession in Family Firms. In: Ritch L. Sorenson, Andy Yu, Keith H. Brigham and G. T. Lumpkin (Ed.), The Landscape of Family Business (pp. 167 -197). More information
Giancarlo, L., Baù, M., Compagno, C. (2013). The role of researchers’ motivations in the genesis of academic spin-off companies. In: Alain Fayolle, Paula Kyrö, Tonis Mets and Urve Venesaar (Ed.), Conceptual Richness and Methodological Diversity in Entrepreneurship Research (pp. 32 -46). More information
Pittino, D., Visintin, F., Baù, M. (2012). Corporate governance e innovazione di prodotto nelle PMI italiane, l’influenza del regime tecnologico. In: Cassia L., & De Massis A. (Ed.), Strategie per il Family Business: Passaggio Generazionale, Governo e CrescitaMore information
Compagno, C., Lauto, G., Baù, M. (2010). Le risorse e i fattori motivazionali abilitanti il Trasferimento Tecnologico. In: L. MARCHI, S. MARASCA (Ed.), Le risorse immateriali nell'economia delle aziende: I. Profili di managementMore information

Konferensbidrag

Aragaw, Z., Haag, K., Baù, M., Kebede, A. (2024). Pursuing Corporate Entrepreneurship in State-Owned Enterprise: Insights from Ethiopian Airlines. RENT 2024, "The Multiple Faces of Entrepreneurship", 13-15 November 2024, Nantes, France. More information
Minola, T., Baù, M., Sieger, P., de Massis, A., Chirico, F. (2021). SLACK AND PERFORMANCE IN FAMILY OWNED SMES: AN AGENCY-THEORY PERSPECTIVE. 81st Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management 2021: Bringing the Manager Back in Management, AoM 2021, 29 July 2021 through 4 August 2021. More information
Withers, M., Chirico, F., Criaco, G., Baù, M. (2020). Employee mobility in family and non-family firms: The role of family firm-specific human capital. 80th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, 7-11 August, 2020, Vancouver, Canada. More information
Haag, K., Almlöf, H., Baù, M. (2019). Disentangling ownership transfer. International Family Enterprise Research Academy (Ifera) 17-21 of June, Bergamo, Italy. More information
Chirico, F., Baù, M., Schulze, W. (2019). Are Family Firms Loss Averse?. 79th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, August 9-13, 2019, Boston, Massachusetts, United States.. More information
Criaco, G., Withers, M., Baù, M., Chirico, F. (2019). The Mobility of Family and Non-Family Firm Employees. 39th Annual Strategic Management Society Conference, October 19-22, 2019, Minneapolis, MN, USA. More information
Naldi, L., Baù, M., Ahl, H., Markowska, M. (2019). Home Alone: Gender (in)equality Within The Household And Business Start-up Among Mothers. 39th Annual Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference (BCERC), June 5-8, 2019, Wellesley, Massachusetts, United States.. More information
Naldi, L., Baù, M., Ahl, H., Markowska, M. (2019). All about My Mother: Factors Influencing Women’s Entrepreneurship. 79th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, August 9-13, 2019, Boston, Massachusetts, United States.. More information
Baù, M., Chirico, F., Hoskisson, R., Pathak, S. (2018). Family versus non-Family Firm Mergers: Likes Attract Likes, but Complementarity also Helps. 79th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, August 9-13, 2019, Boston, Massachusetts, United States. More information
Baù, M., Chirico, F., Pittino, D. (2018). Modes of Business Entry and Exit in Family Firms: The Role of Resource Intangibility. 78th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management. Chicago, IL, USA – August 10-14.. More information
Chirico, F., Baù, M., Gomez-Mejia, L., Martin, G. (2018). Risk-Taking and Financial Distress in Family-controlled Firms. 18th Annual IFERA World Family Business Conference. Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, Zwolle, The Netherlands – July 3-6. More information
Minola, T., Baù, M., De Massis, A., Chirico, F., Sieger, P. (2017). Slack and Financial Performance in SMEs: Slack Discretion, Family Ownership, and Hi-Tech Sectors. 2017 Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, August 4-8, 2017, Atlanta, Georgia, United States. More information
Chirico, F., Pathak, S., Baù, M., Hoskisson, R. (2017). Family versus Non-Family Firm Mergers: Likes Attract Likes, Outperform Opposites. Strategic Management Society, 37th Annual Conference, October 28-31, 2017, Houston, USA. More information
Chirico, F., Backman, M., Baù, M., Karlsson, M., Pittino, D. (2017). No Firm is an Island: Local Embeddedness and Rural-Urban Contexts for Business Growth in Family versus non-Family Firms.. IFERA 2017: annual conference June 28-July 1, 2017, Zadar, Croatia, 2017. More information
Minola, T., Baù, M., Chirico, F., De Massis, A. (2016). Behind Slack and Firm Performance: The Moderating Roles of Family Ownership and High-Tech Industry. Strategic Management Society 34th annual international conference, 20-23 September, 2014, Madrid, Spain. More information
Chirico, F., Baù, M. (2016). Financial Distress in Family and Non-Family-Controlled Firms. 76th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Anaheim, August 5-9, 2016.. More information
Baù, M., Chirico, F., Hoskisson, R., Pathak, S. (2016). Portfolio Restructuring in Family and Non-Family-Controlled Firms. 76th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Anaheim, August 5-9, 2016.. More information
Baù, M., Eddleston, K., Melin, L. (2015). Becoming manager in a family firm: A gendered path. Family Firm Institute Global Conference, London, 21-24 October, 2015.. More information
Baù, M., Chirico, F., Hoskisson, R., Pathak, S. (2015). Acquisition and Divestitures in Family and Non-Family Firms. 10th FERC Family Enterprise Reseach Conference. Burlington, VT, USA – August 5-9, 2015.. More information
Baù, M., Baboukardos, D., Chirico, F. (2014). Voluntary Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards and the Role of Family Ownership. 14th Annual IFERA World Family Business Conference, June 24-27, 2014, Lappeenranta, Finland. More information
Baù, M., Eddleston, K., Chirico, F., Lucia, N. (2014). Parental Altruism. Special Treatment for Offspring in Business?. 10th EIASM Workshop on Family Firms Management Research, Bergamo,23-24 May, 2014. More information
Chirico, F., Naldi, L., Baù, M., Criaco, G. (2014). Socioemotional Wealth and Innovation in Family Firms: When the Environment Gets Tough, the Family Gets Going!. 74th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Philadelphia, August 1-5, 2014.. More information
Naldi, L., Chirico, F., Baù, M., Criaco, G. (2013). Family Involvement and Innovation in Family Firms: The Moderating Role of Environmental Munificence. 9th Family Enterprise Research Conference (FERC 2013), Viña del Mar, Chile, May 17-19, 2013. More information
Minola, T., Baù, M., Chirico, F., De Massis, A. (2013). Organizational Slack and Firm Performance in Family Firms: the Role of Family Involvement and Technological Intensity. 9th Annual Family Enterprise Research Conference (FERC, 2013), May 17-19, Viña del Mar, Chile. More information
Chirico, F., Baù, M. (2013). Is the Family an Asset or Liability? The Role of Environmental Dynamism on Family Firm Performance. 9th Annual Family Enterprise Research Conference (FERC, 2013), May 17-19, Viña del Mar, Chile. More information
Baù, M., Chirico, F., Zahra, S. (2013). Self-Employment Or Employment After Exit: The Effect Of An Entrepreneur’s Age And Gender. Boston: Babson College, 2013 Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference, EMLYON Business School Écully, France, June 5–8, 2013.. More information
Baù, M., Nordqvist, M., Hellerstedt, K. (2012). A Family Embeddedness Perspective on the Entrepreneurial Entry Process: Operationalization and Consequences. Texas, USA 32nd Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference, June 6-9, 2012, Fort Worth, Texas. More information
Lauto, G., Baù, M., Compagno, C. (2012). The effects of participation to academic spin-offs on scientific productivity. Proceedings of WOA 2012 Desperately Seeking Performance in Organizations. More information
Baù, M., Nordqvist, M. (2011). Entrepreneurial Entry and the Family Dimension: A Family Embeddedness Analysis. Palermo, Italy the IFERA 2011 World Conference, Palermo, Italy.. More information
Baù, M., Nordqvist, M. (2011). Family embeddedness and the family capital. WOA 2011 – XII Workshop dei Docenti e dei Ricercatori di Organizzazione Aziendale, Napoli, 16-18 Giugno 2011. More information
Baù, M., Nordqvist, M. (2011). Family embeddedness and the family capital. 11th Annual Ifera World Family Business Research Conference, 2011 University of Palermo, Italy. More information
Lauto, G., Baù, M., Compagno, C. (2011). Academic entrepreneurship and scientific research: synergy or tradeoff?. WOA 2011 – XII Workshop dei Docenti e dei Ricercatori di Organizzazione Aziendale, Napoli, 16-18 Giugno 2011. More information
Wennberg, K., Nordqvist, M., Baù, M., Hellerstedt, K. (2010). Succession in private firms as an entrepreneurial process: a review and a research agenda. The IFERA World Conference 2010, Lancaster, UK, 6 - 9 July, 2010. More information
Baù, M., Hellerstedt, K., Nordqvist, M., Wennberg, K. (2010). What do we know on firm succession and the entrepreneurial process: A Synthesis of the literature. 10th Annual Ifera World Family Business Research Conference. More information
Pittino, D., Visintin, F., Baù, M. (2009). Corporate governance and CEO turnover in insider dominated systems: Are family firms different?. 9th Annual Ifera World Family Business Research Conference, 2009, Cyprus. More information