중소 가족기업의 기존경영자-후계자 관계가 승계유효성에 미치는 영향: 승계준비도의 매개효과를 중심으로

AMost of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Korea are owned by family, and succession process of these companies are critical event for their survival. However, in reality, most family owned SMEs are not well prepared for succession. This study focuses on succession preparedness in order for SMEs to have effective succession. In particular, this study investigates whether the sub- factors of succession preparedness such as the efforts of successors, understandings and plans after succession, and the groundwork for succession, influence the effective succession. Also, it examines a family-level factor of the predecessor-successor relationship as a precedence to facilitate succession preparedness, and analyzes the mediating effect of succession preparedness between predecessor-successor relationship and effective succession. This study is an empirical study based on the survey for 118 top managers of Korean family SMEs, who have experienced or are expecting the succession. As a result, we found a direct positive effect and mediating effects of succession preparedness between predecessor-successor relationship and effective succession. Especially, succession preparedness strongly mediates the link between predecessor- successor relationship and firm performance after the succession, rather than the satisfactory succession process. In addition, the efforts of successor are found to be the most critical factor among the succession preparedness. Finally, implications and future research suggestions are discussed.