A Study on Internal Entrepreneurship Mechanisms in the Context of Succession and Innovation in Family Businesses: A Case Study of Fangtai Group

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-611-6_63How to use a DOI?

Keywords

family business; intrapreneurship; succession and innovation; institutional research

Abstract

Using Fangtai Group as a case study, this research examines the structure, characteristics, and mechanisms of internal entrepreneurship within family businesses against the dual backdrop of succession and innovation. Intergenerational succession in family businesses is often accompanied by a decline in innovative vitality[7], whereas internal entrepreneurship serves as a key pathway for sustained innovation and strategic renewal[8]. As a successful model of Chinese family businesses, Fangtai has successfully completed intergenerational succession while achieving business transformation and sustained innovation. This study employs a qualitative case study methodology to examine and analyze Fangtai’s succession model, innovation strategy, corporate culture, and related practices, identifying the key drivers, organizational support systems, and specific models of its intrapreneurship. The findings reveal that Fangtai’s “co-entrepreneurship” succession model lays the foundation for leadership and culture in intrapreneurship; the integration of Confucian culture—centered on “benevolence”—with modern management creates a powerful driving force for intrapreneurship; platforms such as the Fangtai School empower employees by providing knowledge and capability support; and systematic innovation incentives combined with the “company-shareholding system for all employees” foster an atmosphere that encourages innovation and accountability. Fangtai does not rely on a single model of intrapreneurship but flexibly employs various approaches—such as strategic incubation, organizational empowerment, and strategic investment—based on business development needs. This study reveals the unique characteristics of intrapreneurship in family businesses driven by values and guided by culture, offering theoretical insights and practical references for family businesses facing challenges of succession and innovation.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

Download article (PDF)

TY  - CONF
AU  - Huaiyi Zhang
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/07
TI  - A Study on Internal Entrepreneurship Mechanisms in the Context of Succession and Innovation in Family Businesses: A Case Study of Fangtai Group
BT  - Proceedings of the 2026 12th International Conference on Digital Humanities and Frontiers in Social Sciences (DHFSS 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 569
EP  - 578
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-611-6_63
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-611-6_63
ID  - Zhang2026
ER  -