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- All HBS Web (423)
- Faculty Publications (218)
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- October 2001 (Revised November 2001)
- Case
Blethen Family and the Seattle Times Company (A), The
By: John A. Davis and Cathy Quinn
Frank Blethen, the fourth-generation publisher of The Seattle Times, ponders the challenges facing this family business. This case reviews the long history of this business and family and asks whether family ownership and management are in the interests of both the... View Details
Keywords: History; Management; Business or Company Management; Family Business; Family and Family Relationships; Family Ownership; Problems and Challenges; Journalism and News Industry; Media and Broadcasting Industry
Davis, John A., and Cathy Quinn. "Blethen Family and the Seattle Times Company (A), The." Harvard Business School Case 802-096, October 2001. (Revised November 2001.)
- December 2018
- Case
Corporate Transformation at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
By: Joseph B. Fuller, Amy C. Edmondson, Daniela Beyersdorfer and Tonia Labruyere
When Stefan Oschmann became CEO and chairman of the executive board of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, in 2016, the company had started its transformation from a mid-tier traditional German industry player to a global modern science and technology player. The... View Details
Keywords: Corporate Governance With Family Ownership; Transformation; Change Management; Restructuring; Corporate Governance; Family Ownership
Fuller, Joseph B., Amy C. Edmondson, Daniela Beyersdorfer, and Tonia Labruyere. "Corporate Transformation at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany." Harvard Business School Case 319-072, December 2018.
- 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
- 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
Baron, Josh, and Rob Lachenauer. "Family Businesses Shouldn't Hunt for Superstar CEOs." Harvard Business Review (website) (December 6, 2013).
- 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
Davis, John A. "Governance of the Business Family." Harvard Business School Background Note 807-020, August 2006. (Revised July 2007.)
- 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
- March 18, 2014
- Article
Family Businesses Must Set the Agenda (Without Micromanaging)
By: Josh Baron and Rob Lachenauer
This article discusses the role of owners in family businesses, using the story of Charles, who transformed his family's shipping business by taking ownership decisions. The article highlights that owners have the power to set goals, define performance metrics, hire... View Details
Baron, Josh, and Rob Lachenauer. "Family Businesses Must Set the Agenda (Without Micromanaging)." Harvard Business Review (website) (March 18, 2014).
- June 2024
- Case
PRAN-RFL Group: A Diversified Family Business
By: Christina R. Wing, Paul Wuensche and Brittany L. Logan
The PRAN-RFL Group was founded in 1980 by Amjad Khan Chowdhury, and grew to become one of the largest conglomerates in Bangladesh in 2023. Throughout the years, Amjad established fast food chains, production manufacturing lines, retail stores, and his own foundation... View Details
Keywords: Business Conglomerates; Family Business; Management Succession; Family Ownership; Retirement; Bangladesh
Wing, Christina R., Paul Wuensche, and Brittany L. Logan. "PRAN-RFL Group: A Diversified Family Business." Harvard Business School Case 624-101, June 2024.
- August 2022
- Case
One Tiger Per Mountain: The He Family Office
By: Lauren Cohen, Fei Wu and Grace Headinger
Roy He, founder and majority shareholder of his family construction material production company, was preparing to pass down the family business through its first generational handover to his children. His decision would establish his familial legacy and set a precedent... View Details
Keywords: Governance Structure; Family Business; Family Ownership; Strategic Planning; Family and Family Relationships; Leadership; Construction Industry; Canton (city, China); Canton (province, China); China
Cohen, Lauren, Fei Wu, and Grace Headinger. "One Tiger Per Mountain: The He Family Office." Harvard Business School Case 223-001, August 2022.
- 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
Villalonga, Belen, and Raphael Amit. "Family Control of Firms and Industries." Financial Management 39, no. 3 (Fall 2010): 863–904. (Lead article.)
- 13 Feb 2014
- Research & Ideas
Managing the Family Business: Leadership Roles
management: businesses, families, and ownership groups need all three of these activities. If you observe an effective leader of a family business system, like Sirotsky, over the course of a month, you'll... View Details
Keywords: by John A. Davis
- April 27, 2020
- Article
A Crisis Playbook for Family Businesses
By: Josh Baron and Ben Francois
In a business crisis, the power of family business owners is magnified. Unlike public companies, which typically focus on maximizing shareholder value, family owners value objectives that usually go well beyond financial returns (e.g., family legacy, reputation). This... View Details
Baron, Josh, and Ben Francois. "A Crisis Playbook for Family Businesses." Harvard Business Review (website) (April 27, 2020).
- 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
Malhotra, Deepak, and John A. Davis. "Negotiating Effectively in Family Business Systems." Harvard Business School Module Note 807-144, March 2007. (Revised October 2007.)
- May 11, 2020
- Article
Steer Your Family Businesses Through an Unplanned Transition
By: Josh Baron and Nick Di Loreto
In a perfect world, family businesses will transition leadership from one generation to the next along a predictable and well-planned process — whether that’s determined within the business, the ownership group, or the family itself — passing the baton after years of... View Details
Baron, Josh, and Nick Di Loreto. "Steer Your Family Businesses Through an Unplanned Transition." Harvard Business Review (website) (May 11, 2020).
- August 2006 (Revised July 2007)
- Background Note
Fundamentals of Family Business System Governance
By: John A. Davis
Reviews the purposes and ingredients in the governance (or steering) of a family business system. Explores at a high level the governance of the family business, its owners, and the family. Focuses on how these governance structures, processes, plans, and agreements... View Details
Keywords: Family Business; Corporate Governance; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Family Ownership
Davis, John A. "Fundamentals of Family Business System Governance." Harvard Business School Background Note 807-019, August 2006. (Revised July 2007.)
- 31 Jul 2017
- HBS Case
It’s Hard to Fix the Family Business Without Offending the Family
finds equally beneficial lessons in a much different setting: a small family-owned Vietnamese restaurant in Boston’s inner-city neighborhood of Dorchester. Challenges lie in navigating complex family relationships, transitioning from... View Details
- 15 Jan 2014
- Research & Ideas
Managing the Family Business: It Takes a Village
business, its owners, and the family in control—is that strong, long-term business performance also requires strong performance by the family and by the ownership group. You... View Details
- July 2005
- Case
Family Governance at the Cousin Consortium Stage
By: John A. Davis and Courtney Sampson
Explains the governance system for the Eddy family, who own the Port Blakely Companies. Provides the viewer with an inside look at the running of the family council and family assembly meetings. Also provides a brief history and overview of the forestry and real estate... View Details
Keywords: Conferences; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Corporate Governance; Business History; Business or Company Management; Family Ownership
Davis, John A., and Courtney Sampson. "Family Governance at the Cousin Consortium Stage." Harvard Business School Multimedia/Video Case 805-160, July 2005.
- 12 Mar 2014
- Lessons from the Classroom
Managing the Family Business: Firing the CEO
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 when to make changes at the top. No one needs convincing that the... View Details