Championing family business issues to influence public policy: Evidence from Australia

Justin B. Craig, Bond University
Ken Moores, Bond University

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Submitted Version.

Craig, J. B., & Moores, K. (2009). Championing family business issues to influence public policy: Evidence from Australia. Paper presented at the 9th International Family Enterprise Research Academy (IFERA) world family business research conference: Global perspectives on family business developments: Theory - practice - policy, Limassol, Cypress.

Access the conference website.

2009 HERDC submission. FoR code: 1503

© Copyright Justin B. Craig & Ken Moores, 2009

Abstract

This paper proposes a strategy for the family firm sector to gain the attention of policy makers. The strategy builds through influencing social expectations, creating political issues, developing legislative actions which are subsequently implemented and regulated. To achieve this, we suggest that the family business sector must achieve salience as a community's definitive stakeholders in which capacity they possess, or are perceived to possess, attributes of power, legitimacy and urgency. Propositions are advanced consistent with developing these attributes that collectively build a policy pathway from the societal benefits that family firms can provide by suggesting the building and management of family firm resources to generate optimal outcomes. Experiences from Australia to illustrate the introduced processes are included.