Abstract
In this study, we attempt a further step in understanding the effect of different socioemotional (SEW) dimensions on family firm innovativeness by focusing on a particular player, i.e. the young leader who belongs to the last generation of family managers and who is increasingly engaged in the firm management. After surveying young leaders noneconomic goals with respect to those of senior members in a sample of Italian family firms, such goals are analysed in relation to the level of firm innovativeness. Obtained through a hierarchical regression, results show that two SEW dimensions above all characterize young leaders when they foster innovation: a low emotional attachment on one hand, a high attention to nurture binding social ties on the other.