An Overview of Family Business. Profiles, Definitions and the Main Challenges of the Business Life Cycle

Author(s):  
Antonio Leotta ◽  
Carmela Rizza ◽  
Daniela Ruggeri
Keyword(s):  
2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Santiago

Purpose – The failure to innovate has been recognized as one of the prime causes of business failure. In addition to this, the purpose of this paper is to explore whether it is the failure to act or inertia that can also explain the inability of family businesses to move forward. Design/methodology/approach – This research documented the experiences of five family businesses in the Philippines that were unable to sustain their business operations. Only five families were identified since it was difficult to trace the business owners of businesses that failed, and once identified, not all were willing to discuss the reason for their business failure. Findings – The cases showed that business decline actually results from the failure of family members to address the challenges brought about the change in the different life cycle dimensions. In hindsight, arresting a downward trend necessitates varied strategic approaches. While some family members may felt incapable of introducing innovation in their business, the failure to act, by itself, was a guarantee of business failure. Research limitations/implications – The research was limited to five family businesses in the Philippines. It is possible that there may be many other reasons for family business failure based on the experiences of other families. Unfortunately, many business families in the Philippines are tight-lipped about failure, even if there are lessons to be learned. Practical implications – This paper brings attention to the need of family business owners to be more proactive in meeting the changing needs of their family business. Formula that worked before may not be appropriate at a different time. Originality/value – Research has shown that there are many reasons for family business failure. This paper shows the importance of transcending the feeling of inertia so that family members can be more proactive in meeting the challenges that they are bound to face as their families, their products, their businesses, and the industries they are in, move from one stage of the life cycle to another.


2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (83) ◽  
pp. 212-227
Author(s):  
Cristina Hillen ◽  
Carlos Eduardo Facin Lavarda

ABSTRACT The aim of this work is to analyze how the budget need is conceived in family businesses in the process of succession. There is a gap about the reasons for using the budget in the context of a family business succession process, whose characteristics and purposes of the budget reflect their need depending on the antecedents the reasons for use. The relevance of the theme lies in understanding the intergenerational succession as a part of the life cycle in family companies and the interface with the management control system (MCS) from the need of the budget with a planning and control tool. As an impact on the area, this study broadens the field of research on budget considering its characteristics and purposes in a context of organizational transition that involves succession in a family business. We adopted the single case study with data collected through semi-structured interviews, observations, and documents. Data were analyzed from the discursive textual analysis whose focus is the contents related to succession from the organizational life cycle, changes in the MCS, and budget need. The results showed that changes resulting from the succession process on the strategies of its planning (professionalization of management, creation of the holding company, and governance) interact and influence the need of the budget. This stems from the reasons for operational planning and strategic training from its antecedents associated with the organizational characteristics of the success and renewal phase of the life cycle. The contribution of the study is based on the combination of succession in family business and budget by making it possible to reflect on the need for a specific tool (the budget) to support goal setting and decision-making in this context. It will contribute to the MCS and family business by understanding the need for budgeting in the succession process. In addition, it will validate the three-phase model of the succession process in a family business as part of the organizational life cycle.


2012 ◽  
Vol 468-471 ◽  
pp. 484-487
Author(s):  
Jian An Zhu

In the most common cases, the first generation creates his business, accumulates wealth and waits for the right chance to hand them over to the second generation. The case study on Fotile Co. provides a perspective of both entrepreneurship and succession of family business. In 1996, Mao Li Xiang and his son, Mao Zhong Qun, started together a business on kitchen products. On the view of product life cycle, Mr. Mao Senior produced the clip reeds subcontracting for the state-owned TV set company and electric gas-lighting for international trade which were manufactured with imitation and at last waned after several years, until in 1996 he devoted himself to the third products, Chinese kitchenware, and beat Western technology with domestic technology and design in meeting the needs in Chinese kitchens. On the view of his individual life cycle, Mr. Mao Senior began with the accountant and salesman in commune and brigade enterprise in the 1970’s, manager of in the township and village enterprises in the 1980’s and the owner of family business in 1990’s when he handed over the right of control and finished the professionalization of management, the upgrading of enterprises as well.


1996 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 347-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth Kaye

When a shared business retards the life-cycle development of both generations, it may not be possible for consultants to “restore” their system to health as a family business, because it is unhealthy for such families to be in business together at all. Fantasies of saving their family business, or “succeeding” in passing it to the next generation, are misguided at best. The author argues that when parents' ego development is inadequate, normal individuation makes them and their children so anxious that the business functions like an addiction. A primary role of the consultant is to recognize such cases, diagnose them carefully, and intervene in ways that encourage the next generation to explore a wider range of options.


2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 310-322
Author(s):  
Juliano Lissoni ◽  
Maurício Fernandes Pereira ◽  
Fernando Serra ◽  
João Benjamim da Cruz

Three subsystems sustain the lifecycle of family business (FB); family, ownership and business. This article’s purpose is to show how the 7 Ss Framework can be used to identify different aspects of FB behavior during its lifecycle, together with the three-dimensional lifecycle model as a tool to identify changes that influence both growth and the process of building a “well-performing” organization. The proposed model was tested in a family business in Brazil (RBS Group). The conclusions lead to a clear comprehension of family business evolution, as well as of the organizational foundations that sustain the creation of a well-performing organization


Author(s):  
Betty Ruth Jones ◽  
Steve Chi-Tang Pan

INTRODUCTION: Schistosomiasis has been described as “one of the most devastating diseases of mankind, second only to malaria in its deleterious effects on the social and economic development of populations in many warm areas of the world.” The disease is worldwide and is probably spreading faster and becoming more intense than the overall research efforts designed to provide the basis for countering it. Moreover, there are indications that the development of water resources and the demands for increasing cultivation and food in developing countries may prevent adequate control of the disease and thus the number of infections are increasing.Our knowledge of the basic biology of the parasites causing the disease is far from adequate. Such knowledge is essential if we are to develop a rational approach to the effective control of human schistosomiasis. The miracidium is the first infective stage in the complex life cycle of schistosomes. The future of the entire life cycle depends on the capacity and ability of this organism to locate and enter a suitable snail host for further development, Little is known about the nervous system of the miracidium of Schistosoma mansoni and of other trematodes. Studies indicate that miracidia contain a well developed and complex nervous system that may aid the larvae in locating and entering a susceptible snail host (Wilson, 1970; Brooker, 1972; Chernin, 1974; Pan, 1980; Mehlhorn, 1988; and Jones, 1987-1988).


Author(s):  
Randolph W. Taylor ◽  
Henrie Treadwell

The plasma membrane of the Slime Mold, Physarum polycephalum, process unique morphological distinctions at different stages of the life cycle. Investigations of the plasma membrane of P. polycephalum, particularly, the arrangements of the intramembranous particles has provided useful information concerning possible changes occurring in higher organisms. In this report Freeze-fracture-etched techniques were used to investigate 3 hours post-fusion of the macroplasmodia stage of the P. polycephalum plasma membrane.Microplasmodia of Physarum polycephalum (M3C), axenically maintained, were collected in mid-expotential growth phase by centrifugation. Aliquots of microplasmodia were spread in 3 cm circles with a wide mouth pipette onto sterile filter paper which was supported on a wire screen contained in a petri dish. The cells were starved for 2 hrs at 24°C. After starvation, the cells were feed semidefined medium supplemented with hemin and incubated at 24°C. Three hours after incubation, samples were collected randomly from the petri plates, placed in plancettes and frozen with a propane-nitrogen jet freezer.


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