Abstract

This study examines the antecedents of commitment of Chinese potential successors based on organizational commitment theories and Chinese culture. The analysis of 65 later-gens from Mainland Chinese family firms indicates that individual’s identity alignment and career interests alignment are positively related with their affective commitment. Loyalty to Confucian culture is associated with normative commitment. Financial cost and social cost can encourage later-gens to be committed to their family business. Finally, later-gens with the higher normative commitment or higher continuance commitment exhibit the lower intent to leave their family firms. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed in this thesis.