Beyond the Throne: Founder Role Reconfiguration in Family Business Leadership Transitions

Abstract

While much research has focused on how founders enter and build entrepreneurial ventures, relatively little is known about how they transition out of formal leadership- particularly in family businesses, where their withdrawal is often partial and layered. Founders rarely disengage fully; instead, they tend to maintain a presence that blends operational retreat with symbolic or strategic influence. This paper explores the redefinition of founder roles after leadership succession, focusing on the evolving nature of their engagement. Based on a qualitative multiple case study of six Moroccan family firms, the study identifies five distinct patterns of post-leadership founder influence: heritage-based influence, bi-generational collaboration, multi-generational leadership, fraternal delegation, and posthumous institutionalization. These trajectories reflect how founders shape firm direction through emotional legacy, advisory presence, or embedded values, long after ceding formal control. The findings show that their influence may persist through informal consultation, structured co-leadership, or institutional frameworks that codify their vision. This typology moves beyond binary classifications of active versus retired founders and offers a structured way to interpret the multiple paths founders can take to remain influential. It also emphasizes the role of socioemotional wealth in maintaining family continuity, guiding decision-making, and reinforcing intergenerational cohesion. Overall, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of founder disengagement and legacy preservation in family businesses, offering implications for theory and practice in succession planning and governance.

Classification JEL : L20, M10, D22

Paper type : Empirical Research