Boards of Directors in Family Firms: An Exploratory Study of Structure and Group Process
研究了意大利家族企业董事会构成与董事会过程（如努力规范、凝聚力、知识与技能运用）的关系，发现外部董事能提升董事会的任务投入和凝聚力，尤其在老公司中效果更明显。
Offering an integrated approach, this study examines the relationship between board composition and board processes in Italian family businesses. The potential beneficial effects of outside board members on board processes such as effort norms, cohesiveness, and use of knowledge and skills are highlighted. Using a sample of 90 family business directors, it was found that boards with outside directors are perceived as more committed to the board’s tasks (i.e., higher effort norms) and more cohesive. Boards of older companies with outside directors are percevied as more capable of using knowledge and skills.