Research Insight

This type of article provides practical advice and takeaways based on previously published research articles in other journals. It is written in a journalistic, accessible style that is easily understood by non-academic audiences.


Better Let Your Brother Do It: Men Are Still Preferred in CEO Successions

Many business owners do not like to think about succession – it means confronting their own mortality – but at some point, every family business must deal with succession planning (Ahrens, 2020). Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Authors: Jan-Philipp Ahrens , Melania Riefolo , Annegret Hauer and Katharina Siegert

Micro Venture Capital: A Growing Source of Startup Funding

The venture capital industry has witnessed a surge in investments by micro venture capital (or “micro VC”) firms, which have emerged as a crucial player in the startup ecosystem. These are Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Authors: Mario Daniele Amore , Annamaria Conti and Valerio Pelucco

Unforeseen Crisis Made These Family Businesses Stronger

Pandemics, wars, and natural disasters can have a significant impact on the economy and its organizations.  Such events are called “exogenous shocks” because they come without warning from Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Authors: Rebecca Alguera Kleine , Bingbing Ge and Alfredo De Massis

Does Social Spending Discourage Entrepreneurship?

The importance of entrepreneurship to the economy is well established. Entrepreneurship drives economic growth and helps to solve society’s intractable problems, from curing disease to lowering Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Authors: Eric Liguori , Matt Marvel , Shelby Solomon and Joshua Bendickson

Perceptions of Family Firms Vary by Country: Why This Matters

Research shows that family businesses enjoy numerous reputational benefits in their relationships with stakeholders ( Astrachan , 2021). Customers usually believe they provide better quality; Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Authors: Philipp Jaufenthaler , Oliver Koll , Reinhard Prügl and Maximilian Lude

When the Family Leaves the Business, Can Their Values Remain?

We already know that family firms differ from non-family firms by their powerful commitment to core values that subordinate profit to other goals. While non-family companies use rationality and Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Authors: Roy Suddaby , Wilson Ng , Natalia Vershinina , Gideon Markman and Matthew Cadbury

How to Build a Family Business Portfolio: Your Location Matters

We have always been deeply interested in the topic of why and how business families build up a portfolio of businesses, and how they manage this portfolio successfully in the long run. From many Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Authors: Philipp Sieger , Naveed Akhter and Francesco Chirico

Entrepreneurs Need an Agile Mindset and Agile Slack

In 2001, Zara (INDITEX) noticed that black t-shirts had disappeared from its store shelves after the Twin Towers attack and rushed to replenish them. How was Zara able to meet this unplanned demand? Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Author: Yoel Asseraf

Women Show Their Strengths When Family Businesses are in Trouble 

Around the world, women have always been part of family businesses. However, little is known about how they affect the continuity of family firms in certain areas of the world, especially patriarchal Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Authors: Allan Discua Cruz , Eleanor Hamilton , Giovanna Campopiano and Sarah Jack

How the Right Mix of Employee Incentives Fosters Innovation

Many people assume that when a family business honors its past, it can’t focus on the future. But our research has found that having the right incentives in place encourages employees at family Read More...

Category: Research Insight

Authors: Elisa Villani , Christian Linder , Alfredo De Massis and Kimberly Eddleston