8. Experiential Learning in Entrepreneurial Families: Lessons from Mexico

Estrada-Robles offers an insightful case study of experiential learning to examine entrepreneurial learning in an entrepreneurial family in the context of Mexico. By looking at the entrepreneurial family where multiple owner-entrepreneurs and firms co-exist, the chapter draws attention on the process of learning through the concepts of thinking, feeling, doing and watching of other owner-entrepreneurs in the same family. The author captures the diversity of learning styles and identifies the nuances through the distinct nature of roles in the family (owner, entrepreneurs, successors). This chapter differentiates between learning configurations in the entrepreneurial family with multiple firms beyond the traditional focus of members learning in single-family firms. The entrepreneurial family becomes a learning space that enables exploration and exploitation of opportunities in the core family firm and peripheral firms.