Abstract
The chapter would aim to pinpoint and depict some specific features of family firms in developing countries and to examine social and economic consequences that they might have for the families involved. Precisely targeted selection of the families to be researched resulted in choosing four families conducting business in the local conditions for three years or longer and supported by foreign donors.
All the families were domiciled in the Republicof Malawi. The qualitative research presented in the chapter will examine support given to the family firms.
Having summarized and discussed results, the authors found this type of enterprise to be a new valuable tool of development cooperation capable of creating job openings, encouraging intergenerational experience sharing, and reducing ill-considered migration in search of work. Family firms do not rest on only their economic potential.
Their non-economic repercussions make the businesses unique and of profound consequence to local communities.