Category: Research Insight

Merging With Another Family Firm is Safer and Smarter

Family business mergers enjoy greater harmony and better financial performance than mergers involving non-family firms. Mergers and acquisitions represent one of the most significant strategic Read more

Traits like Machiavellianism and psychopathy can influence a person to start a venture, above and beyond more benign factors like being extroverted or agreeable. Which personality traits make people Read more

Nonfamily CEOs Are Most Vulnerable in the Middle Stage of Their Tenure

Family businesses tend to give all CEOs time to prove themselves, but are tougher on outsiders who don’t deliver results after a few years. EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was produced in partnership Read more

Can a Female CEO Lead to More Diversity at the Top?

At family firms, decisions are often shaped by traditions, preferences, or informal dynamics that are not easy to override, even for the CEO. Research has shown that gender-diverse leadership can Read more

Your CEO Affects How Outsiders Perceive Your Brand

Family or non-family leader? Your choice depends on the age of the firm, and can ultimately shape how the media and outside stakeholders see you. EDITOR‘S NOTE: This article was produced in Read more

Businesses in trouble can reap benefits by displaying humility – but the rules differ for family and non-family firms. Across the United States, both family-run and nonfamily-run businesses have Read more

Why Some Job Seekers Avoid Family Firms

Family firm branding can make a company appear authentic, but it's also important to convey innovativeness, prestige, and a fair shot at getting ahead. While approximately 75% of new jobs worldwide Read more

Generational Experiences Shape Family Business Leaders' Priorities

Beliefs about success, responsibility, and value creation reflect the time and place in which business owners grew up. Religion and strong family ties magnified the impact. Family business leaders Read more

Beliefs about success, responsibility, and value creation are not formed in isolation—they are echoes of the time and place in which business owners grew up. Entrepreneurs don’t just wake up one Read more

Knowledge, reputation, and personal ties can also be leveraged and weaponized, setting the stage for clashes and disruption. Power, the capacity to influence outcomes positively or negatively, is Read more