Journal Title 1: Noor Afza Amran, Ayoib Che Ahmad (2010), Family

Succession and Firm performance among Malaysian Companies.

International Journal of Business and Social Science. Vol. 1 No. 2,
193 203.
Nowadays, family succession is considered important especially to the
family owned companies (FOC) because in Malaysia only there is about
70% companies are owned by the family. Hence, trying to examine the
relationship between family successions attributes and firm performance.
Why this study is consider important is because there are issues such as
the founders either fail or refuse to plan for the succession and, founders
reluctance to plan, difficult to find capable family members and interested
successor to take over which lead to the failure in succession.
There are six major hypotheses consists of (1) ceteris paribus, family
directors that hold higher percentage of share ownership encourage higher
firm performance than family directors with lower percentage of share
ownership, (2) ceteris paribus, family firm that is managed by family CEO
has higher firm performance than family firm managed by professional
manager, (3) ceteris paribus, successor with higher education level
enhance firms performance than successor with lower education level, (4)
ceteris paribus, founder/successor that is more matured in age lead to
higher firm performance than founder/successor that is young in age, (5)
ceteris paribus, there is no difference in performance between male and
female successor, (6) ceteris paribus, founder (first generation) managed
firm have higher firm performance than successor (later generation). The
first hypothesis measures the differences between percentages of share
ownership. Second hypothesis measures the performance differences
between family and professional manager. Third hypothesis is about the
differences between educations. Fourth, is it age contributed to the firm
performance. Fifth hypothesis measures the differences between genders.
Last hypothesis is measures whether first generation or later generation
contributed to the firm performance.

The purpose of conducting this research is determined to examine

the

relationship

between

family

succession

attributes

and

firm

performances or family firms. There is study by Shamsir Jasani Grant

Thornton (2002) discussed about succession planning but provides briefly,
thats why the author trying to carry out this study in more in depth
analysis. The author also wants to prove whether it is true that successor
is better in term of firm performance than the founder itself because the
issue of succession planning is very important to the business world. The
references that being used is correct and significant to the research. The
tables provided are complement with the information in the text and the
method used is correct.
The independent variables are the family and non family members
attributes. Dependent variable in this research paper is the better firm
performance. The method used by the authors in this research paper is
quantitative research which they use sampling of 975 Malaysian family
firms listed on Main Board and Second Board of Bursa Malaysia (excluding
banking and finance, and insurance sectors) over the period of 2003 to
2007. They are appropriate samples because the authors got the
information from the right sources and if he can get it directly from those
companies it is better but still it is reliable.
In finding, the authors summarize that they found the finding is in
line with the family ownership. The result shows that family firms more
involved in industrial products followed by consumer products then
properties, trading services, construction, and plantations. The result
shows that ownership is one of mechanism that helps increase family firms
performance. The result also positively found that younger manager
perform better than older manager and higher the percentage of
ownership owned by family manager, the higher the firm performance as
well as professional managers.

The conclusion of this journal shows that ownership is one of

mechanism that helps increase family firms performance the author does
accomplished his objectives. The authors found that the younger
managers were found to perform better than older manager because they
are more energetic, visionary, and risk takers compared the older
managers

and

family

firms

do

have

certain

characteristics

likes

familiness that make them different from non family firms. They also
show that Malaysian family businesses have started to plan for their
succession in ensuring that firms sustain for next generations.
This research is conducted in English. Even though 975 sample sizes
were used, the measurement not included financial sectors which are
some owned by the family firms for example Public Bank because Financial
Institution (FIs) are not allowed to assume any management role to take
up a board position.
As a conclusion, this article is appropriate and clear in terms of the
title, abstract, and every following section. There is no underemphasized
or overemphasize indication in this article. However, this article did not
explain in more detail about the three hypotheses that being rejected or
not supported because it is important for other future researcher such as
gender issues.

Journal Title 2: Noor Afza Amran (2012), CEO Succession: Choosing

Between Family Member or Outsider?. Asian Journal of Finance &
Accounting. Vol. 4 No. 2, 263 276.
Family firms become more widely recognized because these firms are
dominant form of business organization which is are owned, controlled,
and influenced by specific family. Thus, the family has the final say in
whatever decision. The issues of family business succession considered
important, the good succession planning are in demand and who is
qualified to succeed that position, family member or an outsider.
There are one major hypotheses consist of (1) there is a significant
relationship

between

family

CEO

and

company

performance.

The

hypothesis measures whether the family CEOs play a significant impact in

enhancing companies performance than outside CEOs.
The purpose of conducting this research is determined to examine
the relationship between the choices of family or outside CEO with
company performance. The author is trying to answer the question related
to this issue because there is still lacked of research or information
especially in Malaysian context. The author also wants to prove previous
research done by abroad researcher whether it is true that family owners
are better in term of firm performance than an outsider. The references
that being used is correct and significant to the research. The tables
provided are complement with the information in the text and the method
used is correct.
The independent variables are the family CEO and firms attributes.
Dependent variable in this research paper is the better firm performance.
The method used by the authors in this research paper is quantitative
research which they use sampling of 888 Malaysian family firms listed on
4

Main Board and Second Board of Bursa Malaysia (excluding banking and
finance, and insurance sectors) over the period of 2003 to 2007. They are
appropriate samples because the authors got the information from the
right sources and if he can get it directly from those companies it is better
but still it is reliable.
In finding, the authors summarize that they found the finding is in
line with the family ownership. The result shows that family firms more
involved in industrial products followed by consumer products then
properties, trading services, construction, and plantations. The result
shows that family CEO do influence the company performance.
The conclusion of this journal shows that family CEO shows a
significant

relationship

with

firm

performance

the

author

does

accomplished his objectives. The authors found that the family CEOs
mostly spend their working lives in the family companies, therefore, they
understand the companies better than outside CEOs and able to make
superior decisions. It also shows that the successor is able to generate
more profits and the vast experience in managing the business because
they are risk takers, aggressive, innovative and energetic in implementing
new decisions.
This research is conducted in English. Even though 888 sample sizes
were used, the measurement not included financial sectors which are
some owned by the family firms for because of their differences in
compliance and regulatory requirements.
As a conclusion, this article is appropriate and clear in terms of the
title, abstract, and every following section. There is no underemphasized
or overemphasize indication in this article. However, this study only
focuses on the family companies and should include the non family
companies to make the explanation more detail.

Journal Title 3: Noor Afza Amran (2011) The Effect Of Owners

Gender And Age To Firm Performance: A Review On Malaysian
Public Listed Family Businesses. Journal Of Global Business And
Economics. Vol. 1 No. 2, 104 116.
Gender and age in the family controlled companies is making a headline
among the family companies. The question that arises is that who shall be
the next leader in the family company? For some reason, most companies
would prefer to select male compared to female successor. Thus, we are
sceptical that son is better than daughter. The issues of age also
considered important, whether the young manager perform better than
the older manager.
There are two major hypotheses consist of (1) ceteris paribus, there
is a difference in firm performance between male led and female led
family businesses and (2) ceteris paribus, matured family owner shows a
higher firm performance than young family owner. The first hypothesis
measures whose perform better male or female and for second hypothesis
measures who is better young or older family successor.
The purpose of conducting this research is determined to examine
the relationship between owners gender and age with the business
performance. There is mixed findings related to this question abroad,
which the findings whether the male or female is better or they are equal.
Thus, the researcher of these articles is trying to prove which is of
Malaysian family owned companies are in. The references that being used
is correct and significant to the research. The tables provided are
complement with the information in the text and the method used is
correct.
6

The independent variables are the family CEO and firms attributes.
Dependent variable in this research paper is the better firm performance.
The method used by the authors in this research paper is quantitative
research which they use sampling of 182 Malaysian family firms listed on
Main Board and Second Board of Bursa Malaysia (excluding banking and
finance, and insurance sectors) over the period of 2003 to 2007. They are
appropriate samples because the authors got the information from the
right sources and if he can get it directly from those companies it is better
but still it is reliable.
In finding, the authors summarize that they found the finding is in
line with the gender and age. The result shows that male owners are found
to enhance greater firm value than female owners. The result also shows
that young owner is better than older owner.
The conclusion of these journal shows that family gender and age do
affect firm performance and the author does accomplished his objectives.
The authors found that the Male owners are found to enhance firm
performance higher than female owner. It also shows that the young is
better because the matured owners are found to be underperformed, while
the young owners are more aggressive in enhancing the firm value.
This research is conducted in English. Even though 182 sample sizes
were used, the measurement not included financial sectors which are
some owned by the family firms for because of their differences in
compliance and regulatory requirements.
As a conclusion, this article is appropriate and clear in terms of the
title, abstract, and every following section. There is no underemphasized
or overemphasize indication in this article. However, this study did not
give enough explanation in detail why the male owner is better than
female owner just because on the result from the data.

REFERENCES

Journal 1
Amran, A. N., & Ahmad, C. A. (2010).
Performance

Family Succession

and Firm

among malaysian Companies. International Journal of Business and

Social Science Vol. 1 No.2.

Journal 2
Amran, A. N. (2012). CEO
Member or

Succession:

Choosing

Between

Family

Outsider?. Asian Journal of Finance and Accounting ISSN 1946-052X

Vol. 4 No.2.

Journal 3
Amran, A. N. (2011). The Effect Of Owners Gender And Age To Firm
Performance: A
Review On Malaysian Public Listed Family Businesses. Journal of
Global Business and Economics Vol. 2 No.1.