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The assignment could discuss any private family business, like Tata family, Hershey family in the US, Mars Family, any private and less known family business, any football or baseball owners family, private local not name family and how they ran the business and maintained through many generations. To make things simple the research needs “This is an example only” to talk about a family business with an ownership structure, many generations handling the business and maybe we are at generation 4 or 5 and trying to figure out how to continue the business within the family, family boards, professional management or not of the business, how to groom family members? What process is used to ensure right candidates are weeded out without any grudges? What are the succession plans? What are the choices for a family member to get out of the business? Can they sellout? Is there any family board to discuss family issues? Family Constitutions? Family values? Etc, etc, etc?

Assessment will be of a 2,500 word (max.) case report of a family firm. Students are expected to use the material from the course to consider the causes of conflict and effective governance strategies to handle these. This can be done though secondary sources (e.g. books & press reports) or from personal experience of your own family firm. It will consist of the following: 1. Descriptive SWOT diagnostic of the present state of the firm, 2. Analysis of the causal origins of this profile; 3. Likely future prospects and risks; 4. Advice you would give, were you a family firm general advisor.

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The essay will be assessed by the following criteria: 1. Logic, consistency and completeness (20%); 2. Use of ideas, frameworks and knowledge from the course (20%); 3. Quality of thought and reasoning (30%); 4. Realism and persuasiveness of recommendations (30%).

Text Books

· Carlock, R. & Ward, J.L. (2010). When Family Businesses are Best – The Parallel Planning Process for Family Harmony and Business Success. Palgrave Macmillan.

· Gordon, G. & Nicholson, N. (2008). Family Wars. Kogan Page.