Publications

August 15, 2014
Article

Can an Outside CEO Run a Family-Owned Business?

By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer

This article explores the intricate dynamics that often characterize family-owned businesses, shedding light on key archetypes that play prominent roles within these organizations. Using a narrative approach, the article illustrates the challenges faced by leaders... View Details

Keywords: Family Ownership; Personal Characteristics; Family and Family Relationships; Management Practices and Processes

December 3, 2014
Article

Family Businesses Need One Person to Conquer and Another One to Rule

By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer

This article explores the different leadership styles needed in family businesses beyond the traditional "conqueror" archetype. While conquerors are growth-focused and hands-on, rulers are essential for managing complexity, focusing on governance, and addressing family... View Details

Keywords: Leadership Style; Family Business; Management Skills

January 15, 2015
Article

Surviving in a Family Business When You're Not Part of the Family

By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer

Navigating office politics in a family-owned business can be challenging for non-family executives. Based on experience with various business families worldwide, this article offers strategies for success:

Play in your room: Non-family executives should... View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Family and Family Relationships; Employees; Problems and Challenges; Talent and Talent Management

July 19, 2021
Article

Do Most Family Businesses Really Fail by the Third Generation?

By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer

Perhaps the most commonly-cited statistic about family businesses is their failure rates. Most articles or speeches about family businesses start with some version of the “three-generation rule,” which suggests that most don’t survive beyond three generations. But that... View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Success; Perception

19 Mar 2016
News

Ex-McKinsey Analyst Finds New Path as Lavish Jeweler

Keywords: Nonstore Retailers; Retail Trade

08 Jun 2023
Blog Post

Koppert Cress: Macro Greenhouses, Microgreens

for its high concentration of agricultural innovation, Koppert Cress stands apart from its peers for its unique focus on gastronomy and innovative greenhouse production methods. The company was founded by Rob Baan, an ardent microgreen... View Details

23 Apr 2020
Blog Post

Fireside Chats with Harvard Faculty: A COVID-19 Symposium

collective potential of US businesses to catalyze action and bolster the public sector in response to COVID-19. The Clinical Challenge of Managing a Pandemic View Video Professor Ashish Jha and Professor Rob Huckman discuss the clinical... View Details

17 Jul 2017
Blog Post

Podcast: Should You Consider the MS/MBA: Engineering Sciences Program?

new program. Read on to hear thoughts from Tom Eisenmann and Rob Howe about the benefit of the interdisciplinary offering (and hear the full podcast below!). What would you say to an engineering student who's thinking, "I don't... View Details

Web

Blog | Social Enterprise | Harvard Business School

“Leadership in Challenging Times” blog series, which highlights the insp... Leadership in Challenging Times Rob Zeaske 03 Mar 2021 This post is the first in our “Leadership in Challenging Times” blog series, which highlights the... New... View Details

04 Feb 2015
News

HourlyNerd Raises $7.8M for Its Consulting Gig Marketplace

Keywords: Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services; Professional Services

Web

Blog | Social Enterprise | Harvard Business School

The HBS Summer Fellows Program enables students to apply their classroom training as th... SEI's Growing Focus on Nonprofit Board Leadership Rob Zeaske 25 Aug 2021 As the Social Enterprise Initiative looks to its next twenty-five years of... View Details

01 Jun 2004
News

Life Lessons

that drives economic advancement and development. It’s a process she’d eventually like to go home and be part of: “I believe,” she says, “in South Africa and its future.” —GE Rob Sundy Sundy at Harvard Stadium. View Details

Keywords: James E. Aisner; Garry Emmons; Julia Hanna; Susan Young; Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services

Profile

Hayling Price

For many fans of classic network television, New Rochelle, New York, will forever be the home of Rob (Dick Van Dyke) and Laura (Mary Tyler Moore) Petrie, television's first upwardly mobile suburban sophisticates. But for Hayling Price,... View Details

Keywords: Financial Services; Nonprofit/Government/Education

Profile

Anna King

market under the tutelage of Professor Rob Kaplan, a former vice chairman of Goldman Sachs. Through the Hospitality & Travel Club, she has met one-on-one with "very high-profile, very impressive" CEOs in the industry. To... View Details

Keywords: Financial Services; Nonprofit/Government/Education

January 8, 2016
Article

When You’ve Made Enough Money to Cause Family Tension

By: Josh Baron, Rob Lachenauer and Diane Coutu

This article discusses the transition successful business founders face when moving from intense business focus to managing significant wealth in their "Second Act." It highlights the shift towards creating a family enterprise, requiring shared financial... View Details

Keywords: Wealth; Family Business; Management Succession; Transition; Family and Family Relationships

October 23, 2013
Article

Banyan Family Business Advisors On The Keys to Long-Term Resilience

By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer

Family businesses have been found to excel in resilience during economic downturns compared to publicly-traded ones. This is attributed to their focus on resilience over performance. Key qualities of resilient family firms include managing low debt, practicing... View Details

Keywords: Performance Consistency; Economic Slowdown and Stagnation; Family Ownership; Family Business; Values and Beliefs; Business Strategy

Read Now

December 6, 2013
Article

Family Businesses Shouldn't Hunt for Superstar CEOs

By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer

This article discusses the challenges faced by family businesses when it comes to succession planning, particularly in selecting an outside CEO. It presents a case study of a third-generation family business looking for an external CEO, named "Mr. Wonderful," to manage... View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Management Succession

May 2, 2014
Article

If You're Feeling Unappreciated, Give Someone Else Credit

By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer

Conflict in a family business can escalate quickly, but it's crucial to avoid it whenever possible. The article emphasizes recognizing the signs of escalating conflict and taking steps to prevent it. When disagreements arise, people often resort to legal action, which... View Details

Keywords: Conflict and Resolution; Family Business

June 16, 2014
Article

Working With Your In-Laws Isn't Always a Terrible Idea

By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer

This article delves into the complex dynamics involving in-laws within family-owned enterprises. In-laws often face a challenging dual role as they must conform to the same professional standards as non-family employees while concurrently grappling with perceptions of... View Details

Keywords: Family and Family Relationships; Family Ownership; Employees