2015 FFI Achievement Awards: Nominations Open

January 16, 2015

The mission of FFI is to be the most influential global network of thought-leaders in the field of family enterprise. Perhaps nowhere is this goal promoted and achieved more than in the series of distinguished awards presented annually at the global conference... Read more

Latest on HBS Working Knowledge: Family Businesses Need Entrepreneurs for Long-Run Success

August 13, 2014

Families that want to stay in business for generations don't have a choice but to encourage entrepreneurship in and out of their family company, say Michael Roberts and John Davis... Read more

Family businesses in India see rise of women as promoters and leaders

April 22, 2014

Her paternal grandmother, Kokilaben, stood by husband Dhirubhai but never joined him as he redefined the boundaries of Indian entrepreneurship. Her father's sisters, or her aunts, were married early into business houses, with little discussion about joining the business: Dipti into the Salgaocar family and Nina into the Kothari family ... Read more

2014 FFI Global Conference

This year the conference will address the problems of complexity, the power of constituencies, and the constellation of socio-cultural forces exerting themselves across the field of family enterprise... Read more

The Effect of Family Business Professionalization as a Multidimensional Construct on Firm Performance

December 29, 2013

Findings of this research revealed significant positive effects of increasing nonfamily involvement, implementing human resource control systems, and/or decentralizing authority on firm performance. However, nonfamily involvement only seems to improve firm performance if there is sufficient decentralization of authority and an average or even low amount of formal financial control systems.... Read more

Paternalistic leadership in family firms: Types and implications for intergenerational succession

December 13, 2013

The study suggests that benevolent and moral paternalistic leadership style of the predecessor have a positive effect on successor's behavior while authoritarian paternalistic leadership style of the predecessor have a negative effect on successor's behavior... Read more

When should founders call it a day?

October 9, 2013

The question holds significance in the light of investors' call for Bill Gates to step down as Microsoft chairman... Read more

By Refocusing the Family Business, a Daughter Is Awarded Control

March 19, 2013

Rasha Shehada has been picked by her brother and sister to take over the family business Diamont Line when their father retires next year. In her mid - 20's, she currently heads business development for the company her parents started in 1997 that's now grown into a leading hotel supply distributor selling to over 15 countries... Read more

Professionalizing growth oriented family businesses

July 01, 2009

The success of organizations with dynamic relationships depends on the quality of professionalized management it has... Read more