Case Study Assignment – GOD FATHER 1
Required to write a case study analysis of a selected family business. For this, you are required to investigate a family business of your own choosing.
Your task is to find a family business willing to provide you with sufficient details about their family and business, and then to develop, analyze, and
write up your own case study. The rationale for this “interactive” case study is for the student to understand that theory and academic inquiry must be
juxtaposed with real life experiences and challenges. By directly engaging with a functioning family business, and questioning the protagonists in that
business, it is anticipated that the student will be able to apply, in a “real world” setting the challenges and nuances that go to make up a family
business. For students who are unable to gain access to a family business their task will be to analyses the film THE GODFATHER 1. This case study will NOT
be a film review, rather an understanding of the trials and tribulations of succession in an American Italian family of the 50’s notwithstanding with
nefarious professions and pass times.
I have chosen God Father 1 to be the TOPIC for this assignment.
This is the link to watch the God Father 1. :
http://putlocker.is/watch-the-godfather-online-free-putlocker.html
or you can try to access it from putlocker.is then type God Father.
Please watch the movies until the end to ensure you will understand the family business structure and so on.
The focus on the case study will be on succession, that is the planning for succession, the implementation of succession, and a post succession analysis of
the success of the succession process.
The elements that the assignment will consider will include:
The nature of the succession planning that was undertaken – if any
What went into the planning process
The nature and degree of the successor’s involvement in the family business before succession
The nature of the relationship between the successor and the incumbent before, during and after the succession
The observable differences e.g. leadership style, education, experience, gender, and culture between the successor and the incumbent, and how that
may have effected the succession process
The nature of the relationship with non-family employees and how they were managed during the succession process
How spouses and/or siblings were managed during the succession process
The assignment will include the following:
A theoretical foundation on which the observations are made
A brief overview and background of the business, its size, and number of employees (both family and non-family) etc
A discussion on the industry taking into account the macro and competitive environment in which it operates
This Assignment requires students to demonstrate:
• An understanding of the key frameworks, perspectives, concepts, ideas, and tools introduced in the course,
• An ability to relate these frameworks, perspectives, concepts, ideas, and tools to one another in the form of a case study, and
• An ability to creatively apply these frameworks, perspectives, concepts, ideas, and tools in differing contexts and in relation to a case study.
THEORIES THAT NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED AND RELATED TO GOD FATHER CASE STUDY. Remember: This case study will NOT be a film review, rather an understanding of
the trials and tribulations of succession
Use 20 Academical References that related with the case study as well as theories.
Leadership – What are the characteristics of a good leader? And do those characteristics change when dealing in a family business? Can a family business
leader, also be a good family leaders?
Successor – If you had to define and rank key personal and professional attributes of a successor, what would they be, and why? To who is the successor
ultimately responsible, the family, his/her extended family or the family business? Where does the nature of commitment come in all of this?
Succession – At what point in time should the succession process begin? In an ideal world develop a “you beaut” succession process, what are its
characteristics, what are its elements, and where could it fail?
Strategy – Do you need different strategies to manage a family business and a family? If so why, if not why not? What would be the key elements in
determining the best strategy of a family business, and how would you need to reconcile these elements with the family?
Communication – Outline what would be the key elements you would need to consider in communicating with different family generations, different educational
levels and different cultural perspectives in a family business?
Politics – Your sibling wants to join the family business, he has never worked in the business, and he doesn’t really care about the business. Its easy
money. What are the political constraints that come into play when dealing with this problem, how would you define this conflict and what structures and
strategies would you put into place to negotiate this conflict away?
Non-Family Employees – Some of your most effective people are not family members, and they have been with the family business for years. the problem is
they are set in their ways, and as the new MD you have some great ideas, but the question is how will you get them to go along with them?
Business Structure
NOTE ‘IMPORTANT’: The requirements of the assignment will NOT be sufficiently addressed by simply presenting or describing a factual situation. It is
critical that you present the case study in a format that is ‘family business specific’ by relating your discussion and analysis to the materials
(theories, principles, practices, processes, etc.) outlined in the prescribed text and that you acknowledge them as sources. It is not simply a matter of
providing your opinion based on general knowledge. The requirement is that you use the materials given to make a considered analysis of a family business
case study that indicates that you are ‘family business aware’, i.e. aware of the special issues and challenges that confront families in business, and of
the relevant ways that these can be identified and addressed as suggested by the course materials. It is also essential that you ensure that your analysis
supports your conclusions and recommendations. In this case analyze the God Father 1.