Publications

July 1997 (Revised October 2002)
Case

Khalil Abdo Group

Three brothers inherit a business in Egypt; the complications begin as each gets married, has a family, and becomes torn among different family interests. Now the third generation is appearing. View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Trust; Family and Family Relationships; Egypt

September 2020 (Revised June 2021)
Case

Algramo

By: Michael Chu, Monica Silva and Mariana Cal

Founded in 2013 by José Manuel Moller in Chile, Algramo first became known for addressing the “poverty tax” (the surcharge paid by lower income families for staples sold in smaller sizes) through specially-designed dispensers in low-income neighborhood grocery stores... View Details

Keywords: Packaging-as-a-wallet; Plastic Waste; Business At The Base Of The Pyramid; Reusable Packaging; Alliances With FMCGs To Meet ESG Goals; Social Entrepreneurship; Environmental Sustainability; Strategy; Value Creation; Goals and Objectives; Business Model; Consumer Products Industry; Latin America; South America; Chile

05 Jan 2024
Blog Post

Meet The HBS African American Student Union

Founded in 1968 by 5 Black students at Harvard Business School, the African American Student Union (AASU) is a community for all Black students at HBS inclusive of all backgrounds, familial situations, and... View Details

July 2010 (Revised September 2023)
Case

Werner von Siemens and the Electric Telegraph

By: Geoffrey Jones and Bjoern von Siemens

This case describes the nineteenth century founding by Werner Siemens of the Siemens electrical business in Germany. Werner's dual role as inventor and entrepreneur is explored as he created one of the world's first multinational enterprises, whose growth initially... View Details

Keywords: Business Organization; Family Business; Entrepreneurship; Multinational Firms and Management; Business History; Growth and Development Strategy; Electronics Industry; Telecommunications Industry; Germany

04 Feb 2020
Video

Dr. Manu Chandaria

Manu Chandaria, Chair of the Comcraft Group based in Kenya,describes the challenge of managing his far-flung enterprise with family members doing in business in a number of different locations, including... View Details

May 1997
Supplement

Francisco de Narvaez at Tia

By: Linda A. Hill and Mara Willard

Harvard Business School students question Francisco de Narvaez about his family store, Tia, from the late 1980s to the present, as he attempts to transform it from a family-owned business into a market-driven, professionally-run global company. View Details

Keywords: Globalized Firms and Management; Family Business; Transformation

22 Dec 2020
Blog Post

The Forward Fellowship Convinced Me That I Belong at HBS

Hi, my name is Heather Jackson, and I am not supposed to be at Harvard Business School. No, I don’t mean I was an ‘admissions mistake’ (though every single admit, myself included, has thought this countless times). I mean, by every... View Details

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

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July 1998 (Revised May 2005)
Case

Anderson Steel Service, Inc.

By: John A. Davis

Explores the management of family and business issues and helps to identify a range of topics with which families in business wrestle. Describes a dilemma faced by sixty-eight-year-old Charles Anderson, the semi-retired founder of the company and the father of three... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Family Business; Problems and Challenges; Business or Company Management; Family and Family Relationships; Strategy; Steel Industry

08 Aug 2016
Video

Syed Babar Ali Full Interview

18 Nov 2019
Video

Alberto Grimoldi

Alberto Grimoldi, President of the Argentina-based apparel and footwear company Grimoldi, S.A., describes the massive deterioration of the business under family leadership and his successful efforts, in the... View Details

12 Mar 2020
Video

Muhammad Alagil

Muhammad Alagil, Chairman of Jarir Investment in Saudi Arabia, discusses the decision to go public in 2003, which he argues was due to family dynamics and the desire to ensure the continuity of the... View Details

04 Feb 2020
Video

Güler Sabancı

Güler Sabancı, chair of Sabancı Holding, one of the largest diversified business groups in Turkey, describes how her grandfather trained his children (including her father) to take over the family business and... View Details

Video

Eva Arias

Eva Arias, President of Peru-based mining company Compañía Minera Poderosa, discusses the role of the family in her company, the different responsibilities of family members, and issues of... View Details

10 Dec 2012
News

Oh, brother!

10 Nov 2015
News

Founders’ vision keeps engine running

2010
Article

Zwischen Familienerbe und globalem Markt. Eigentum und Management von großen westdeutschen Familienunternehmen im Wandel (1960-2008)

"Between Family Heritage and Global Market. Changes in Ownership and Management of Large West-German Family Firms (1960-2008)" Large family firms fall between two theoretical accounts. They neither follow the development path described by Alfred D. Chandler nor do they... View Details

Keywords: Business or Company Management; Family Ownership; Germany

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

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