Family businesses always have an owner family as the shareholder of reference. This is the family that defines the company’s purpose and transforms family values into corporate values. This is the family that serves as a beacon of unity and commitment, transmitting a sense of corporate stability and long-term continuity. Hence, the importance of developing, […]
Family business and globalization
My colleague Prof. Marta Elvira asked me if I could write about family business and globalization. I do so with pleasure but with the fear that some readers might find my conclusions disappointing. In this post, I won’t refer to large corporations but to medium-sized companies, defined by the European Union as firms with revenues […]
What’s the link between purpose and the bottom line?
A clear purpose drives results. These are the words of Claudine Gartenberg, a Wharton School professor and co-author of one of the largest studies ever conducted on corporate purpose. According to Prof. Gartenberg, purpose is “a set of beliefs about the meaning of a company’s work beyond quantitative measures of financial performance.” In a recent […]
A chat with Nobel laureate Amartya Sen
As Secretary of the Jury of the Princess of Asturias Foundation Award, I had the tremendous honor of speaking with economist and philosopher Amartya Sen, Nobel Prize in Economics and 2021 Award Winner of the Princess of Asturias in Social Sciences. Human development and human capabilities are at the heart of his work. In our […]
10 reasons why we need family businesses
Family-owned firms play a vital role in the global economy, an undisputed and internationally recognized fact. Going a step further, I would like to highlight 10 ways in which family firms positively impact the world based on my firsthand observations of how they operate and confront challenges. 1 – They drive and sustain employment I’m […]
Financial Times: we’re in the news!
We’re happy to report that our efforts to help family-owned businesses have not gone unnoticed! We hope you enjoy this recent Financial Times article and that you help us spread the word by sharing it friends and colleagues. What can business school teach a family firm?
Succession in family firms: navigating the power paradox
Many family business leaders hold two conflicting emotions as they near retirement: on one hand, the desire to pass the baton to their children, and on the other, the desire to retain control for as long as possible. These opposing aims can significantly affect the parent-child dynamic and result in a paradox in which the […]
The voice of minority shareholders in family-owned firms
Family-owned firms dominate the global economy: according to PwC’s latest Global Family Business Survey, they contribute more than half of the world’s annual GDP and generate around two-thirds of employment. Their strength is also seen in new business ventures: 85% of start-ups are launched with family money. As outlined in a previous post, an important […]
Bodegas Pradorey: where tradition meets innovation
Fernando Rodríguez de Rivera Fernando Rodríguez de Rivera is the general director of Bodegas Pradorey, a winery located in Spain’s Royal Site of Ventosilla. Here he shares Pradorey’s “long and winding” 30-year path to success as one of the most renowned Ribera del Duero wineries. Pradorey can’t be understood without mentioning the Royal Site of […]
Session with Nobel Laureate Bengt Holmström
Bengt Holmström is an MIT professor and the recipient of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Economics. In his recent remarks at the 2021 IESE-ECGI Corporate Governance Conference, he warns of a data-driven tsunami that will radically change how businesses operate and structure their corporate governance systems. Don’t miss this thought-provoking session! Video Session with Bengt […]
Collaborative philanthropy: possibility or pipe dream?
Organizations and business leaders around the world always stress the importance of teamwork but in the realm of philanthropy, most people act alone. Yet as the world’s challenges become increasingly complex and interconnected, a joint approach might be more effective to promote the common good than “going solo.” But is collective philanthropy a viable option? […]
