Kenneth Chukwujioke Agbim, Business Administration Department, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Researchers and practitioners are divided on the preferred measures of business performance, largely due to the quality of available financial data and the measurability of the non-financial indicators. However, owing to the embeddedness of social networking in families and in the business world, this study reviews the contribution of social networking to the financial and non-financial performance of family businesses. The study is based on a review of 55 peer-reviewed published journal articles. Consequently, the most frequently used social networking platforms, the measures of financial performance, the measures and proxies of non-financial performance and the differences between financial and non-financial performance were identified. The study proposes the use of both financial and non-financial measures in assessing the performance of family businesses due to their complementary roles.

Keywords: social networking, social network, family business, financial performance, non-financial performance, interplay, interdependence.