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The generation gap

May 1, 2008

Let’s suppose that your goal is for one of your children to take over the family business some day. How do your children feel about this?

Let's suppose that your goal is for one of your children to take over the family business some day. How do your children feel about this? It's a truism that most sons and daughters rarely tell their parents what they're thinking if they don't think they'll like the answer. And in a lot of families, where it is assumed that one sibling or another will one day take the reigns, the succession issue is often met with either abject avoidance or subtle placation. Otherwise, it can lead to furious in-fighting if other siblings feel that their value is being ignored or passed over.

Blood is thicker than water – and good for the economy

January 1, 2004

I’ve been planning my retirement for some 15 years. I keep a sharp eye on my pension schemes and investments, and quietly rejoice that I never sunk my hard-earned cash into IT companies – firms that rode a tsunami of venture capital in the late 1990s only to come crashing down as the dot-com boom soured.

I've been planning my retirement for some 15 years. I keep a sharp eye on my pension schemes and investments, and quietly rejoice that I never sunk my hard-earned cash into IT companies – firms that rode a tsunami of venture capital in the late 1990s only to come crashing down as the dot-com boom soured. I've stuck to diamond mines, mutual funds and property, after all, there's nothing wrong with hedging your bets.

British to a Fawlt(y)

November 1, 2003

The other night, I was flipping through the channels on the television and came across a station that I didn’t know we received.

The other night, I was flipping through the channels on the television and came across a station that I didn't know we received. It's a station that runs 'classic' British sitcoms. With nothing much else on offer, I stayed tuned and found myself laughing at some older, if not gentler humour. However, it was only when I crawled into bed that I realised the shows were not only important from a comedy standpoint, but also from a family business standpoint, as the premise of many of the comedies was based around family business.

Editor’s note

April 1, 2003

We set out to significantly raise awareness of, and respect for, family entrepreneurship around the world. Barbara Murray passes the editorial baton to Suzy Bibko, and reviews the progress Families in Business has made since its launch

The approaches to growth

January 1, 2003

Growth is a relative thing, and achieving growth means different things to different families and their businesses.

When the journey is more important than the destination

November 1, 2002

Anyone who visits Spain these days will find it hard to believe it was ruled by dictatorship until just under 30 years ago.

Anyone who visits Spain these days will find it hard to believe it was ruled by dictatorship until just under 30 years ago. Since then, the fast-paced process of democratisation has fuelled the creation of new businesses, global businesses and more efficient businesses. But what about family businesses? To what extent and how have Spanish families in business adapted to these changes?

The value of family business networking

September 1, 2002

As a young researcher over 10 years ago, I remember feeling a little perplexed when family business leaders and family business successors I interviewed described life in the business as “lonely”.

As a young researcher over 10 years ago, I remember feeling a little perplexed when family business leaders and family business successors I interviewed described life in the business as "lonely".

At first, it seemed strange to hear that people who were working with their family, who were in charge of their own business and masters of their own destiny were feeling lonely? What on earth did that mean? The next question was irresistible: Why?

Family business – the debate continues

June 1, 2002

In the last three months, my travels in the family business world have taken me to events in Trier, Paris and Chicago, so I have covered a lot of ground in the pursuit of learning and sharing new family business knowledge. But I think I have covered some new ground, too. I'm referring to what might be at the root of the polarized perceptions that family business observers hold about what "family business" is and what it stands for.

Progress in the family business world

April 1, 2002

It’s a good idea, every now and again, to look back in time and reflect on how far things have come or to pause and think about where things appear to be heading.

It's a good idea, every now and again, to look back in time and reflect on how far things have come or to pause and think about where things appear to be heading. The world of family business is no exception.