Tom A. Rüsen Book order

Conflicts among family members in a family business can lead to significant existential crises, affecting both the business and the family dynamic. Unresolved disputes hinder effective communication and threaten the survival of the enterprise. The book emphasizes the need for external intervention to navigate these conflicts, highlighting the surprising lack of focus on conflict prevention in family businesses. It explores the intricate relationship between family dynamics and business success, advocating for proactive strategies to foster healthier interactions and ensure longevity.

The book delves into the complexities of decision-making in family businesses, emphasizing the challenge of harmonizing family dynamics with business operations across generations. Drawing on a unique research project involving family managers from long-established German family businesses, it highlights a collaborative effort to explore governance structures and address twelve critical questions that impact their success. The authors stress that there are no definitive answers; instead, the focus is on guiding families to discover their own solutions while recognizing the distinct roles of family and business.

Focusing on the dynamics of dynastic business families, this book explores the unique challenges faced by families with over 50 members involved in ownership. Through a three-year research project involving seven German families, it identifies six critical management areas. The study reveals a shift from traditional family structures to network-like configurations and highlights changing inheritance practices leading to larger shareholder groups. It offers a framework aimed at guiding the increasing complexity of managing these business families.