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relationships

Conflict in the family: good for business or bad?

September 1, 2004

The concept of learning is gaining currency among researchers in entrepreneurship and family business. So are disputes in a family business a constructive or a destructive force for change? Andrew Godfrey and John Tucker explain

Andrew Godfrey is international director of PRIMA, the family business consulting practice of Grant Thornton. John Tucker is head of UK Family Business Services at Grant Thornton.

Meet the press

May 1, 2004

Engaging with the media is no longer a choice for family businesses – it’s essential

Melanie Stern is section editor of Families in Business magazine

Engaging with the media is no longer a choice for family businesses – it's essential

What’s a mother to do?

March 1, 2004

Though you wouldn’t guess it today, Rug Bug was just a small-town carpet cleaning company when Constance Brown (58) and her husband Bob (62) bought it from Bob’s father in the early 1970s. From that meager start, Rug Bug has become the largest cleaning and carpet restoration business in the region.

Though you wouldn't guess it today, Rug Bug was just a small-town carpet cleaning company when Constance Brown (58) and her husband Bob (62) bought it from Bob's father in the early 1970s. From that meager start, Rug Bug has become the largest cleaning and carpet restoration business in the region.

Succession begins on the first day of work

March 1, 2004

By using the ‘four phases of succession’ a family business owner can pinpoint precisely where the business is and then smoothen the transition to the next generation. But the key is to take painstaking care during the early phases

Dennis T Jaffe is Professor at Saybrook Graduate School in San Francisco, author of Working With The Ones You Love and a founding member of the Aspen Family Business Group.

By using the 'four phases of succession' a family business owner can pinpoint precisely where the business is and then smoothen the transition to the next generation. But the key is to take painstaking care during the early phases

Best practices of successful multi-generational families

November 1, 2003

A recent survey suggests that successful multi-generational families are just as concerned with the quality of their relationships with other family members as they are with financial measures – good governance can help the next generation build on these relationships

Dennis T Jaffe is Professor at Saybrook Graduate School in San Francisco, author of Working With The Ones You Love and a founding member of the Aspen Family Business Group. Amy Braden is Managing Director and heads the Family Wealth Center of JP Morgan Private Bank.

Solving problems in family business: five key questions

September 1, 2003

Problems in family businesses can be multi-layered and can become increasingly complex if the correct questions are not addressed to ascertain the root of the problem

Jane Hilburt-Davis is founding principal of Key Resources in Boston, MA, a consulting firm that specialises in family-owned and closely-held businesses. Her expertise is in the areas of family systems, conflict management and professionalising the family firm.

W Gibb Dyer, Jr is the O Leslie Stone Professor in the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University. His expertise is in the areas of family business, entrepreneurship and organisational change.

Due diligence: the emotional angle

June 1, 2003

There’s more to forming a business relationship with another company than just the balance sheet. It’s the people and the system as a whole that can make or break a deal

Michael J O'Malley is a consultant and lecturer who specialises in developing solutions for the relationship problems among business members, outside stakeholders and management.

Larry McEnerney is the director of writing at the University of Chicago.

There's more to forming a business relationship with another company than just the balance sheet. It's the people and the system as a whole that can make or break a deal

The ‘untouchables’ – liabilities or assets for the family business

January 1, 2002

Family businesses are especially vulnerable to emotional biases that create ‘untouchables’ – people with lifetime tenure in the firm regardless of performance. No family business can eliminate emotions, but a few tips from university tenure systems can help ensure the ‘untouchables’ will be contributing to the firm’s success

Recently, my 19-year-old daughter came home from university for a visit. Over the weekend we talked about a central concern in her life – 'I need more money'– and a central concern in mine – 'how are you doing in school?' Though she got the predictable answer from me – 'No'– I got a little more than the usual – 'I'm doing OK' – from her.