On a recent family trip to a shopping mall, our younger daughter pointed to a drastically reduced product and enthusiastically lobbied for us to purchase it. After all, it seemed so cheap. The original price was prominently displayed, crossed out, and replaced by a much lower number. The discount appeared irresistible. So I found myself…

For years, succession has been viewed as the primary hurdle in family businesses. But today, many business families face a different challenge. The issue is no longer finding talent—inside or outside the family—but managing the growth of the family itself. As generations advance, the family often grows at a faster pace than the business. What starts…

There is a commodity that sits beneath almost every international business trip, expatriate relocation, and cross-border supply chain, yet we rarely name it. Oil. At first glance, this may seem like an old-world concern. After all, we live in an age of digital collaboration, virtual teams, AI-enabled work, and increasingly sophisticated alternatives to physical travel.…

What does responsible ownership mean for family-owned businesses operating amid international expansion, generational transitions, intense competition for talent, and constantly evolving market conditions?  That question sat at the heart of the closing roundtable of the Family Firms: Purpose, Economic Performance and Social Impact Conference, held on March 16 on IESE’s Madrid campus.  The discussion brought…