This book deals with dynastic business families. Such families are characterized by a circle of owners comprising more than 50 family members, which typically face specific issues and challenges for which there has been little research knowledge and practical approaches until now. The book presents results and findings from a special research project on “big family management” where 7 representatives of dynastic families from Germany were studied over a 3-year period. The result was the identification of six topic areas that management in these business families has to deal with. At the same time, the study observes that dynastic business families hardly follow the logic of classic families anymore, but can rather be understood as networks with common family backgrounds. The study also reveals that a large number of business families are heading for large shareholder groups due to changed inheritance practices. The contents outlined here provide an orientation framework for the growing business family.

Conflicts within the owner circle  - or rather, within the "family of the family business"  - are often the main cause of existential crises for family businesses. The damaging effects of unchecked family conflicts affect two social systems: the family business and the business family itself. The impairment of the survival capability of the family business goes hand in hand with the reduced chance of constructive follow-up communication between family members. Once caught up in conflict communication, it is extremely difficult for business families to get out of it without the help of external knowledge. It is therefore surprising that the topic of conflict prevention in business families has so far been given relatively little attention. 

Against this background, this book takes a closer look at the topic of "Conflicts in the Business Family" and deals with a number of topics that are essential to understanding the subject: the specific challenges and conflicts that business families typically face, as well as practically proven methods of conflict resolution at different levels. The content is based on the experiences that the two authors have gained in a variety of research projects, conflict moderation, and family strategic consulting projects over the past 18 years. The key findings from this wealth of experience are now made available to the general public.

This book deals with dynastic business families. Such families are characterized by a circle of owners comprising more than 50 family members, which typically face specific issues and challenges for which there has been little research knowledge and practical approaches until now. The book presents results and findings from a special research project on “big family management” where 7 representatives of dynastic families from Germany were studied over a 3-year period. The result was the identification of six topic areas that management in these business families has to deal with. At the same time, the study observes that dynastic business families hardly follow the logic of classic families anymore, but can rather be understood as networks with common family backgrounds. The study also reveals that a large number of business families are heading for large shareholder groups due to changed inheritance practices. The contents outlined here provide an orientation framework for the growing business family.

Conflicts within the owner circle  - or rather, within the "family of the family business"  - are often the main cause of existential crises for family businesses. The damaging effects of unchecked family conflicts affect two social systems: the family business and the business family itself. The impairment of the survival capability of the family business goes hand in hand with the reduced chance of constructive follow-up communication between family members. Once caught up in conflict communication, it is extremely difficult for business families to get out of it without the help of external knowledge. It is therefore surprising that the topic of conflict prevention in business families has so far been given relatively little attention. 

Against this background, this book takes a closer look at the topic of "Conflicts in the Business Family" and deals with a number of topics that are essential to understanding the subject: the specific challenges and conflicts that business families typically face, as well as practically proven methods of conflict resolution at different levels. The content is based on the experiences that the two authors have gained in a variety of research projects, conflict moderation, and family strategic consulting projects over the past 18 years. The key findings from this wealth of experience are now made available to the general public.