Category: Research Insight

Inside the Family Business Boardroom: How Better Meetings Lead to Better Decisions

Board effectiveness isn’t just about who sits at the table—it’s about what happens during the meeting. Research reveals the hidden dynamics shaping family business decisions. Board meetings are Read more

Entrepreneurs with positive views of past experiences are more motivated to approach decisions and evaluate opportunities more rationally. EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was produced in partnership with Read more

Real company challenges raise the stakes for students—but without the right structure, they can undermine learning. Here’s what educators and partners need to get right. Open innovation Read more

A new study finds that perspective taking is not just a soft skill. It helps insiders generate more novel ideas and outsiders generate more useful ones. Entrepreneurs, business leaders, and family Read more

A study confirms the value of teaching entrepreneurship in secondary school, and argues that entrepreneurship should be taught widely, not reserved for future business majors. EDITOR'S NOTE: This Read more

When Family Business Reputation Helps—and When It Hurts

Family firms often enjoy strong consumer goodwill, until they engage in deliberate misconduct -- when higher expectations can produce deeper disappointment and sharper backlash. EDITOR'S NOTE: This Read more

Family Offices Are Booming—But Do They Actually Work?

Research still can’t clearly explain when they deliver real value. A review shows what we know, what we don’t, and how families can close the needs-to-services gap. EDITOR‘S NOTE: This article Read more

What Nonfamily Managers Need From Family Firm Leaders

Vision matters—but so does individualized consideration. This study shows nonfamily managers perform better when CEOs pair transformational leadership with genuine, personalized attention and Read more

The core issue isn’t drive or talent. It’s a recurring set of constraints—access, legitimacy, scaling friction, and fatigue—that repeatedly narrows the funnel for Black founders. EDITOR'S Read more

How Families Can Re-Engage Reluctant Successors Without Pressure

Successors recommit when roles align with their values, skills, and life stage—and when family dynamics allow earlier experiences to be reinterpreted. Many family firms think about succession when Read more