When trust breaks down: employee disputes in family firms

Co-author: Uzay Sezer This article was co-written by Uzay Sezer. Holder of a PhD in Business Administration and Management from Università Bocconi, his research explores family firms, corporate governance and incentive designs. On March 16, IESE’s Madrid campus welcomed renowned scholars, business leaders and investors for the 2026 IESE CCG-ESGI Conference, "Family Firms: Purpose, Economic Performance…

Managing Change in Global Work: Why Your History Matters More Than You Think

The world of global work has never been short of disruptions. Geopolitical crises, shifting trade policies, travel restrictions, or technological upheaval, these are not occasional blips but recurring features of cross-border professional life. And yet, when we think about how global professionals manage these disruptions, we tend to focus almost entirely on the disruption itself:…

Why family businesses should develop people, not just create wealth

Co-author: Carlos Folle Professor of marketing and family business at IEEM Escuela de Negocios at the Universidad de Montevideo whose areas of expertise include go-to-market strategy and the governance, ownership and succession of family businesses. Much has been written about the symbiotic relationship between the family and the business. When scholars and advisors describe the…

When meritocracy meets bloodlines: the family business succession trap

Our next CEO will be chosen based on capability. We’re professionalizing our leadership. In our company, board seats are earned. Statements like these are common in the realm of family-owned firms, signalling how strongly they value the language of merit. Yet the lived reality often tells a different story: appointments seem predetermined, performance standards become…
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