Over the years, the Chair of Family-Owned Business has written extensively about one central idea: strong families don’t automatically evolve into strong owners. Solid values, commitment and a long-term perspective are real advantages of family ownership, but they only translate into sustainable performance when supported by robust governance. In many family firms, governance issues might […]
What’s the purpose of a shared family purpose?
“To whom much is given, much will be required.” This precept dates back to biblical times yet remains just as relevant as ever among multigenerational family firms. By distributing their wealth toward specific social causes and concerns – often unrelated to their core business – high-net-worth families can serve as powerful agents of change. On […]
Types of shareholders in family-owned firms
Family-owned businesses, especially later-generation firms, are supported by different types of stakeholders: shareholders, investors and owners. There’s a fourth category – speculator – that I’m omitting since it’s not worth mentioning. In my view, there is no wealth creation derived from speculation, which moreover, rarely occurs in family firms. So what are the differences between […]
Finding the best external equity investor: one size doesn’t fit all
The market is currently flush with cash waiting to be invested, with no signs of a slowdown in sight. In this context, many privately-held family businesses are considering external capital to drive their corporate and family objectives. In their search for the optimal investment partner, family businesses need to make sure everyone’s objectives align – […]
Shared vision: it’s not just sticking together, it’s thinking together
Among the core characteristics of family-owned businesses is the desire to leave a legacy for future generations. To achieve this objective, the owner family must share a long-term vision and the resolve to ensure the firm’s continuity. In the firm’s initial stages, cultivating this commitment is relatively straightforward, since the founder is on the front […]
How do informal institutions influence family-owned firms?
As outlined in my previous post, the prevalence, strategy and performance of family-controlled firms (FCFs) differs across countries, yet research has primarily underscored formal institutions like regulations and legal frameworks to justify these differences. In our research, we widened the scope to explore how informal systems such as social ordering systems, hierarchies and values might […]
4 mechanisms to boost stakeholder engagement
There’s no doubt about it: companies that genuinely aspire to leave a positive and long-lasting mark in the world need to engage their stakeholders. But what are the most effective strategies to achieve this aim? To answer this question, I joined forces with Prof. Anabella Dávila from EGADE Business School (TEC de Monterrey) and IESE […]
The COVID-19 crisis: a unique window to reflect on succession planning
The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked an unparalleled healthcare and financial crisis, inspiring many of us to reframe and recalibrate our priorities, as well as rethink our definition of happiness: what to hold onto and what to leave behind. For the owners of family-controlled firms, the coronavirus crisis also offers a window of opportunity to plant […]
Institutional configuration in family firms: the board of directors
Like all companies, family-owned businesses require initiative, power and financial resources in order to excel. For those that aspire to transition from firm to institution, however, additional structures and processes are needed. While no one is immortal, institutions are born to transcend generations. They don’t depend on the will or whims of one specific person […]
Family investment companies in times of COVID19: a story of resilience
The pandemic has triggered times of unprecedented disruption for firms worldwide, highlighting the critical need for organizational resilience and flexibility. How have European family investment companies (FICs) performed in this context of uncertainty? As part of our ongoing research on European FICs, John Learmonth and I tracked a broad sample of companies, both before and […]
The impact of informal institutions in family firms
Family-controlled firms (FCFs) are the world’s most common organizational structure, with distinct strategies and characteristics that set them apart from non-family-controlled firms. Around the world, the prevalence, strategy and financial success of family-owned firms all vary but what are the core drivers of these differences? To date, research has largely focused on the impact of […]
