Adaptation to discontinuous technological change constitutes a major, yet vincible challenge for established companies. Nadine Kammerlander reveals crucial differences between the challenges that family-owned and managed firms face as compared to non-family firms. Series of case studies in the German retailing and book publishing industries illustrate those differences. Empirical evidence further shows how organizational identity affects whether and in what way firms adapt to radical shifts in their environment.

Dr. Nadine Kammerlander wrote der dissertation under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Björn Ivens at the Chair of Marketing at the University of Bamberg. She works as a post-doc researcher at the Center for Family Business, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland.