Our Latest Articles

December 21, 2020 - Issue #20

Three Strengths that Can Help Family Firms Survive Covid Three Strengths that Can Help Family Firms Survive Covid The good news is that for many family businesses the challenges and invitations offered by the pandemic can allow them to emerge stronger than ever, both as families and as enterprises.
Sherri Noxel

Editor's Pick

Sherri Noxel

'Letting Go'

Oregon winery entrepreneur Susan Sokol Blosser is one of the founders of Oregon’s wine industry and a prolific writer. In “Letting Go” she captured the very personal and painful journey of exiting a family business that she founded. It’s the type of honest book about succession that is hard to find. Her first book, “Gracious and Ruthless: Surprising Strategies for Business Success,” shares her point of view as a woman founder in a traditionally male industry.

http://www.susansokolblosser.com
Everyday Gratitude in Times of Uncertainty Everyday Gratitude in Times of Uncertainty A timely message for the holiday season: Gratitude leads to better relationships. It's also good business because it encourages loyalty among our colleagues, especially in times of crisis.
Developing responsible owners in family business Developing responsible owners in family business The next generation of owners is crucial to the family firm's survival. The process of getting them ready and instilling the right attitudes should start early.
December 2020
Leadership Lessons from Great Family Businesses Leadership Lessons from Great Family Businesses

Family businesses are a thriving economic engine, but many struggle to make it from one generation to the next. This article deconstructs what makes them viable for the long term.

Innovating While Preserving Tradition Innovating While Preserving Tradition

Venerable family firms that have been successful through the decades still must innovate. Here is how the leader of one Dutch firm balances tradition and modernization.

Surprising Winners in the Pandemic Surprising Winners in the Pandemic

While more than a quarter of small businesses have closed, some are doing surprisingly well, as this New York Times article points out.

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Recent
A New Way to Resolve Extreme Conflict in Family Businesses
by Doug Baumoel and Blair Trippe / Applied and Practice

Family members may feel “trapped” in conflicts, unable to resolve substantive issues without damaging their familial relationships. This often leads to disputes that persist for decades.  Read more...

Merging With Another Family Firm is Safer and Smarter
by Francesco Chirico, Robert E Hoskisson, Seemantini Pathak, and Massimo Baù / Research Insight

Family business mergers enjoy greater harmony and better financial performance than mergers involving non-family firms. Read more...

Unready and Unadvised: The Silent Crisis in Family Wealth Transfer
by Srbuhi Avetisyan / Practice Insight

A study of 13,500 family firms shows that nearly half of heirs don’t know where the assets are -- and 3 in 5 wouldn’t know what to do if the founder died suddenly. Read more...

AI Adoption in Family Business: Balancing Trust and Tech
by Doug Gray, PhD / Practice Insight

Using AI can be risky in settings where confidentiality is key, but it can be indispensable in developing innovative services that clients expect. Here's how to harness it safely.  Read more...

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Consumers Love Local Brands. That's Good News For Family Businesses
by Philipp Jaufenthaler, Andreas Kallmuenzer, Sascha Kraus, and Alfredo De Massis
How Family Dynamics Shape Family Businesses
by Joseph Astrachan and Claudia Binz Astrachan
Business Families Must Get Real About Growth and Payouts
by Joseph Astrachan and George Manners
Editorial offices located at St Thomas University

Editorial offices located at St Thomas University

Popular
Tariffs, Turmoil, and Family Tiffs: Navigating the Current Chaos
by Joseph Astrachan and Claudia Binz Astrachan
Why Don't You Educate Your Owners?
by Tom Rüsen, Claudia Binz Astrachan, and Ruth Orenstrat
How Family Businesses Survive Unexpected ‘Wild Cards’
by Wojciech Czakon, Monika Hajdas, and Joanna Radomska
Too Much Love in the Family Can Hurt
by Ines Herrero and Mat Hughes
Supported by the Richard M Schulze Family Foundation

Supported by the Richard M Schulze Family Foundation