Publications

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12 Nov 2001
Research & Ideas

The Three Components of Family Governance

There are three components to family governance: Periodic (typically annual) assemblies of the family; all families in business can benefit from this activity. Family council... View Details

01 Mar 2023
News

Family Matters

Lailah Thompson-Woode (MBA 2021) with her children, Antonio and Yasmina Woode. Photo courtesy Lailah Thompson-Woode Lailah Thompson-Woode (MBA 2021) with her children, Antonio and Yasmina Woode. Photo courtesy Lailah Thompson-Woode As a middle schooler, Lailah... View Details

Keywords: April White

18 Apr 2016
Blog Post

Meet the HBS Family Business Club

The mission of the Family Business Club (FBC) is to bring together students with family business backgrounds to facilitate discussions and conversations about their experiences working with View Details

October 1993
Article

Family Capitalism

By: G. Jones and Mary B. Rose

Keywords: Economic Systems; Family and Family Relationships

Find at Harvard

09 Jul 2007
Research & Ideas

Five Steps to Better Family Negotiations

Negotiations between family members who own a business are different—different from negotiations between non-family members and also different from negotiations between family members who don't have a... View Details

Keywords: by John A. Davis and Deepak Malhotra

Article

Family Rituals Improve the Holidays

By: Ovul Sezer, Michael I. Norton, Francesca Gino and Kathleen Vohs

Rituals are central to family life. Three studies (N = 1098) tested the relationship between family rituals and holiday enjoyment and demonstrated that family rituals improve the holidays because they amplify family closeness and involvement in the experience. In Study... View Details

Keywords: Happiness; Behavior; Satisfaction; Family and Family Relationships

07 Apr 2014
News

Family Values

HBS is committed to ensuring that its learning model provides a powerful, integrated curriculum. A major new gift from the family of the late William F. Connell (MBA 1963) will help this effort as the School continues to prepare leaders... View Details

August 2006 (Revised July 2007)
Background Note

Governance of the Business Family

By: John A. Davis

Explains the purposes, processes, standards, plans, and agreements that together help to govern (or steer) a family that owns a family business. View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Corporate Governance; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Family Ownership

March 12, 2024
Editorial

Best Practices for Family Philanthropy

By: Christina R. Wing

Philanthropy is a key priority for many families, but when sitting down and considering where to start, the vast options can be overwhelming. Social impact is not supposed to be a chore, but rather something you and your family can appreciate and look forward to... View Details

Keywords: Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Social Enterprise; Family Business; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact

August 2006 (Revised July 2007)
Background Note

Governance of the Family Business

By: John A. Davis

Reviews the ways to achieve governance of the family business. Points out the importance of plans (e.g., strategic plans), statements (e.g., mission statements), policies, rules, and agreements to the governance process. Discusses the roles of three structures in... View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Corporate Governance; Governing and Advisory Boards; Management Teams; Mission and Purpose

October 2023
Technical Note

Governance for the Family Enterprise

By: Christina R. Wing and Vicki Morton

Governance stands as the backbone of any successful organization, providing the structure, transparency, and accountability necessary to guide decisions, ensure efficiency and foster sustainable growth. Its significance takes on a heightened dimension within family... View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Corporate Governance; Family Ownership; Business Growth and Maturation

Research Summary

Globalization and the Family Business

As business becomes more global and competitive, many family companies are extending their operations through various means to remain competitive in their industries. Professor Davis is teaming with Professor Jon Martinez of Universidad de los Andes and Florence Tsai... View Details

13 Feb 2014
Research & Ideas

Managing the Family Business: Leadership Roles

Editor's note: This is part of a series of occasional columns on managing the family business written by Senior Lecturer John A. Davis. In this article, Davis discusses leadership roles. Part Two: Structuring Leadership Roles My previous... View Details

Keywords: by John A. Davis

Program

Family Office Wealth Management—Virtual

Summary Wealth management for high-net-worth families has grown increasingly complex. For some families, the responsibility of wealth management has shifted to younger generations who have less experience investing. For other families,... View Details

October 2020
Case

Genomics in the Family Office

By: Lauren Cohen, Ronnie Stangler and Spencer C. N. Hagist

Alice Anane is the member of a large, wealthy family that collectively operates a multi-pronged family business in Israel. Upon discovering partway into her pregnancy that the rapidly degenerative brain disease her father succumbed to now threatens her and potentially... View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Health Disorders; Strategic Planning; Corporate Governance

November 2023 (Revised January 2024)
Case

Votorantim: Uniting Family and Business Across Generations

By: Christina R. Wing, Carla Larangeira and Pedro Levindo

Over a 105-year span, the Ermírio de Moraes family built Votorantim, one of Latin America’s largest industrial conglomerates, and among Brazil’s topmost businesses, also credited for helping “build” the country over decades. By early 2023, Votorantim included... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Governance; Family Ownership; Business and Shareholder Relations; Family and Family Relationships; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Chemical Industry; Mining Industry; Financial Services Industry; Latin America

March 2007 (Revised October 2007)
Module Note

Negotiating Effectively in Family Business Systems

By: Deepak Malhotra and John A. Davis

Explores how families in business can apply five principles of negotiation that are used effectively by non-family members. The distinctive characteristics of family relationships and of family business systems--which affect the use of these principles--are described. View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Negotiation; Family Ownership

February 2004 (Revised April 2004)
Exercise

Family Business Ownership Goals Worksheet

By: John A. Davis

Family members who either own a business or who could inherit ownership in a business are helped to clarify how they would like to have the business owned in the future. View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Family Ownership; Decision Making

Article

Family Control of Firms and Industries

We test what explains family control of firms and industries and find that the explanation is largely contingent on the identity of families and individual blockholders. Founders and their families are more likely to retain control when doing so gives the firm a... View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Cost vs Benefits; Governance Controls; Family Ownership; Business and Shareholder Relations; Competitive Advantage