Hypothesis 2 proposes that the relationship between family owner- ship, growth opportunity, and R&D intensity depicted in Fig. 1 should be weaker for business group affiliates. Fig. 2 shows that for independent firms, the patterns (lines 2 and 4) of the relationship are the same as in Fig. 1. However, lines 1 and 3 in Fig. 2 demonstrate that the joint in- fluence of family ownership and growth opportunity on R&D intensity is negative in business group affiliates, and it becomes even more nega- tive when the proportion of family ownership is greater. These negative relationships between family ownership, growth opportunity, and R&D investment are consistent with the idea that business group owners may not perceive threats from cutting back on R&D when there are growth opportunities. Thus, the relationships depicted in Fig. 2 support Hypothesis 2.