The analysis of the relationship between the succession process, the employee maturity and the leadership style of managers in the family businesses

Various researches about family businesses showed that these businesses have not a long term operation and they are faced with challenges to their survival. Succession planning is one of the main challenges posed by these companies. This paper reviews the process of succession planning and the main factors affecting it. So two independent variables (leadership style and employee maturity) are considered and hypothesized that they have direct relationship with the succession process in the family businesses. The statistical sample was included all 45 family businesses working in Khorasan-e-Razavi and the hypothesis have been tested using structural equation modeling and all of them were confirmed. It has been suggested that senior executives in family businesses، firstly choose their leadership style in accordance with the maturity level of their employees and more importantly do the succession planning process.