This entry utilizes national measures of cultural and institutional norms to explore ways North American family businesses uniquely compete compared to non-family businesses. The similarities and differences among countries within North America are explored using two topics that uniquely apply to family businesses: transgenerational succession and family social capital. In each case, national culture (measured through Hofstede’s six dimensions) and the strength of national institutions (measured through the intellectual property rights index) highlight the impact these two dimensions have on creating heterogeneous family businesses unique to North America. This entry provides valuable insights for practitioners and scholars when considering how North American family businesses compete. Further insights can be drawn by applying the present framework to other aspects of family businesses and North American culture. Cultural variations help explain differences in why and how businesses compete.