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PTMBA2024 Family Businesses in the German and global market

Course code
MBA MGMT6412, MBA MGMT6412 SI
Course type
PT MBA Lecture
Weekly Hours
2,0
ECTS
2.0
Term
HS 2023
Language
Englisch
Lecturers
Prof. Dr. Nadine Kammerlander
Please note that exchange students obtain a higher number of credits in the BSc-program at WHU than listed here. For further information please contact directly the International Relations Office.

The following topics will be covered:

- Family firms around the globe

o Why are family firms relevant?

o What makes family firms special?

o How do family firms differ across the globe?

- Leading a family firm

o When is family-internal vs. family-external management preferable?

o What types of family firm leadership roles exist?

o How does succession in family firms take place?

- Tradition vs. innovation

o How to lead family firms in times of change and uncertainty?

o How to solve the “family innovator’s dilemma”?

o How does “innovation based on tradition” work?

- Family firm governance

o How and why is governance of family firms special?

o What is family governance and how does a family firm governance codex look like?

o How can a family firm be governed?

Date Time
Sunday, 19.11.2023 09:00 - 16:30
Saturday, 25.11.2023 09:00 - 16:30
Sunday, 26.11.2023 09:00 - 16:30
Sunday, 17.12.2023 23:50 - 23:55
At the end of the course, the MBA students should have achieved the following learning goals:
  • Understand the unique aspects of a family firms and their contribution to the economy.
  • Understand the distinctive advantages and disadvantages of family firms and evaluate different ways to lead and govern family firms.
  • Identify ways how to make family firms fit for the long run and how to be effective leaders in such ownership settings.
  • Understand the critical issues that family firms face in managing and improving business performance as well as in their governance.
  • Understand how management tools and management frameworks of family firms differ from those commonly applied to non-family firms
  • Integrate entrepreneurial and professional management concepts for strengthening family business organizational performance.
  • Apply the specific practices and skills of effective family businesses in group case works and thereby develop intercultural team work skills.
  • Effectively communicate gained insights on family businesses.
Selection of important articles related to sustainability in family firm management: De Massis, A., Di Minin, A., & Frattini, F. (2015). Family-driven innovation: Resolving the paradox in family firms.California Management Review,58(1), 5-19.De Massis, A., Audretsch, D., Uhlaner, L., & Kammerlander, N. (2018). Innovation with Limited Resources: Management Lessons from the German Mittelstand.Journal of Product Innovation Management,35(1), 125-146.EY. The art of managing an entrepreneurial family. https://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/EY_-_Family_Governance_Services_in_Norway/$File/EY-Family%20Governance%20Services.pdfKammerlander, N., & van Essen, M. (2017). Family firms are more innovative than other companies.Harvard Business Review.Kidwell, R. E., Eddleston, K. A., Cater Iii, J. J., & Kellermanns, F. W. (2013). How one bad family member can undermine a family firm: Preventing the Fredo effect.Business Horizons,56(1), 5-12.Miller, D., & Le Breton-Miller, I. (2005). Management insights from great and struggling family businesses.Long Range Planning,38(6), 517-530.Miller, D., Wright, M., Breton-Miller, I. L., & Scholes, L. (2015). Resources and innovation in family businesses: The Janus-face of socioemotional preferences.California Management Review,58(1), 20-40.
The course will include a variety of interactive teaching methods including

- Input lectures

- Class discussions

- Case study

- Group work (family governance)

- Guest talk (tbc)

Group work and presentation (50%)

Individual reflection on family business (50%)

The motivation to understand the specifics of sustainable practices in family firms and the willingness to work in a team to present group results using digital media resources (short video or presentation).
60
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