From small businesses to large-scale multinationals, most of the world’s enterprises are family-owned. For their heirs, joining the family business isn’t always a given, with many opting to develop their careers outside the organization. This article in The Economist touches on some of its pros and cons. The resistible lure of the family firm […]
Presenting our updated Chair webpage
We are happy to present our updated Chair webpage, created under the umbrella of IESE’s corporate site. In addition to showcasing our academic team and research lines, the new page includes links to our communications platforms (like this blog!), academic publications and corporate sponsors, Fundació Jesús Serra and Caser, whose generosity allows us to continue […]
Family enterprises are outstripping the global economy
According to the 2023 EY and University of St.Gallen Family Business Index, the largest family enterprises are growing faster than the global economy: 10% compared to the world’s 6%. Once again, the Index highlights the huge contribution of the world’s largest 500 family enterprises as a global economic driver. How the largest family enterprises are […]
Why Building Trust Benefits Your Company
Trust has been the crux of economic exchanges since the creation of the world’s first marketplaces millennia ago. While several research studies have focused on trust in bilateral relationships, less is known about its broader social and economic ramifications and the specific role of family businesses. In this Forbes article, IESE Prof. Jeroen Neckebrouck shares […]
5 strategies for a new model of family business
As Heraclitus said more than two millennia ago, “Nothing is permanent except change,” yet the very nature of change has shifted dramatically in today’s volatile, hyperconnected and fast-paced world. Family firms are generally better equipped to weather the storm thanks to their comparatively longer-term perspective and financial resilience. Yet other traits aren’t as positive, says […]
The link between family firms and their stakeholders
Global organizations are increasingly integrating stakeholder opinions and ESG objectives in their corporate purpose, an approach that family businesses have been applying for decades. In this recently published Harvard Deusto article, I explore the essential role of purpose and why it should be viewed through a strategic lens: Profundizando en la relación entre empresas familiares […]
Family businesses have a talent-acquisition advantage
According to a recent PwC survey, next-generation leaders of family firms see talent acquisition, management, and retention as a key priority in the next two years in the wake of Covid-19 impacts and the subsequent labor market moves. In this Harvard Business Review article, the authors explore the pivotal role of talent acquisition in the […]
Annual Report 2021-22
As Aristotle said, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and this is certainly true of IESE’s Chair of Family-Owned Business. Looking back on the academic year, I could not be more pleased with the team’s accomplishments and contributions toward advancing the practice and knowledge of family business. We hope you enjoy […]
Bill Marriott passes the baton
Marriott International’s Chairman and Chairman of the Board, Bill Marriott, has retired after an illustrious 66-year career. Read his parting words on his last LinkedIn post as Chairman, which also features a heartwarming video with his son and successor, David. From Generation to Generation
“It’s time to challenge the status quo at family businesses”
How can future leaders of family firms act as responsible stewards of their family legacy while also serving as catalysts for necessary change? This ESG by PwC article explains the need for next-generation leaders to prioritize ESG factors in order to build their own legacy: It’s time to challenge the status quo at family businesses […]
