Publications

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1982
Dissertation

The Influence of Life Stage on Father-Son Work Relationships in Family Companies

By: J. A. Davis

Keywords: Family Business; Family and Family Relationships

Keywords: Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools

01 Mar 2010
News

Students Assist Needy Family

A Boston family threatened with homelessness got a financial lift from more than seventy HBS students just before Thanksgiving. In response to an e-mail campaign launched by roommates Grace Simmons and... View Details

February 2002
Background Note

Working With Relatives in the Family Firm

Describes some of the difficulties of working with one's relatives in the family firm, especially with one's brother(s). Examines some of the reasons for the difficulties and proposes ways of dealing with them. View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Family and Family Relationships; Problems and Challenges

Fast Answer

Patent terminology: Patent Family

What is a patent family and how it can be used in patent search? A patent family is a collection of patent applications covering the same or similar technical content. The... View Details

13 Aug 2014
News

Family Businesses Need Entrepreneurs for Long-Run Success

08 May 2015
News

Continuing a family legacy

After gaining experience in a variety of industries, Angela A. Chao (AB 1995, MBA 2001) joined the family shipping business, where she is growing the business in new ways. (Published May 2015) View Details

19 Nov 2014
News

Helping family businesses succeed and thrive

For more than 25 years, Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien (MBA 1954) and his family foundation have been enabling others learn how to manage successful family-run businesses. (Published November 2014) View Details

08 Jun 2015
News

Leading a family business

After Phyllis Papani Godwin (HRPBA 1949) inherited the family electrical supply business, she quickly learned the ropes, developed a collaborative leadership style, and expanded the company into 28... View Details

September 2024
Supplement

Carrie Wang: Choosing Between the Family Firm and the Family Spirit: Spreadsheet Supplement

By: Lauren Cohen, Fei Wu and Sophia Pan

September 2011 (Revised November 2011)
Case

CP Group: Balancing the Needs of a Family Business with the Needs of a Family of Businesses

By: William C. Kirby and Tracy Yuen Manty

As a second generation business leader, Chairman Dhanin Chearavanont took over the family agribusiness company and built it to become a major diversified conglomerate in Thailand and expanded the business in SE Asia and China. While growing the business, he and his... View Details

Keywords: Agribusiness; Plant-Based Agribusiness; Family Business; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Conglomerates; Family Ownership; Growth and Development; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Thailand; China; Southeast Asia

24 Nov 2015
Research & Ideas

Developing Your Next CEO for the Family Business

as CEO. I agree but CEO selection is more complex for family companies. Options for Family Companies In family companies, you also have the choice of View Details

Keywords: Re: Liangzong Ma; Retail; Auto

25 Apr 2016
Blog Post

Attending HBS to Grow the Family Business

As a kid, Lauren Derse (MBA 2010) hit the family business jackpot. Her mom was the CEO and founder of—you guessed it—a chain of toy store franchises. After growing up in small town Massachusetts (and... View Details

Article

Informal Family Insurance and the Design of the Welfare State

By: Rafael Di Tella and Robert MacCulloch

We study unemployment benefit provision when the family also provides social insurance. In the benchmark case, more generous State transfers crowd out family risk-sharing one-for-one. An extension gives the State an advantage in enforcing transfers through taxes... View Details

Keywords: Insurance; Design; Welfare

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29 Dec 2010
News

In Hard Times, Family Firms Do Better

2 PM – 3 PM EST, 02 Dec 2015
Webinars: Trending@HBS

Managing Family Strife: Market Baskets Lessons about Buyouts

You'd have to have been sleeping under a rock to miss the family war and media frenzy over Market Basket, the Boston-based, family-owned supermarket chain. The confrontation between two cousins (both named Arthur Demoulas) over control of the company was finally... View Details

March 2012
Case

The Agnellis and Fiat: Family Business Governance in a Crisis (A)

By: John A. Davis, Bernardo Bertoldi and Roberto Quaglia

After the death of Umberto Agnelli in 2004, the Agnelli family, led by John Elkann, needs to decide whether to keep Fiat CEO Giuseppe Morchio. The Fiat Group is in a delicate financial position, and John Elkann, the new family leader, is untested in this role. The... View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Family Ownership; Management Teams; Leadership; Corporate Governance; Crisis Management; Auto Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Italy

October 2010
Background Note

Family Corporate Governance: A Brief Literature Review

By: Lena G. Goldberg and David Kiron

This note discusses competing theories of governance in family owned firms and focuses on agency theory, stewardship theory, and the sociological concept of embeddedness. View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Corporate Governance; Governing and Advisory Boards; Managerial Roles; Family Ownership; Theory