The Influence of Digital Technology, Service Quality, and Continuous Professional Development on the Type of Succession in Family-Owned Schools Mediated by Socioemotional Wealth

The sustainability of family-owned schools is largely determined by the success of leadership succession processes that are well planned and rooted in family values. This study aims to analyze the influence of digital technology, service quality, and continuous professional development on the type of leadership succession in family-owned schools, with socioemotional wealth serving as a mediating variable. Two succession types are distinguished: intrafamily succession, where leadership is fully inherited within the family, and hybrid succession, where leadership is shared between family members and external professionals. Data were collected through a five-point Likert scale questionnaire distributed to principals, teachers, parents, and foundation board members of private family-owned schools that have operated for more than 20 years, are currently transitioning to second-generation leadership, have more than 150 students, and are located in urban areas of Jabodetabek (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi). Data analysis employed Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM–PLS). The results indicate that digital technology and service quality have a positive effect on leadership succession type through the full mediation of socioemotional wealth, while continuous professional development exerts a positive influence through partial mediation. The mediating effect of socioemotional wealth is stronger in intrafamily succession, emphasizing that family socioemotional values play a critical role in linking organizational factors with successful leadership transitions. In contrast, hybrid succession tends to be more strongly influenced by managerial professionalism than by family emotional aspects. Managerial implications highlight the importance of integrating family values with professional management practices to design sustainable succession strategies. Accordingly, socioemotional wealth functions as a strategic element that balances the preservation of family identity and the implementation of professional governance both of which are essential foundations for the longevity of family-owned schools.