This thesis explores the strategic considerations for the international expansion of family-owned professional development companies in Central European markets, specifically Germany, Poland, Austria, and Slovakia. The study integrates multiple theoretical perspectives such as the Resource-Based View of the firm, Eclectic Paradigm, Institutional Theory, and Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory with empirical data on the markets in question to identify the most relevant factors that aid in the location choice decision-making. Multi-criteria decision Analysis was used in this research to assess various criteria such as market size, economic stability, cultural compatibility, competitors and revenue potential. Furthermore, regression analysis was carried out to test the optimal number of cultural dimensions to be included in the analysis. The results showed that Germany was the most attractive location followed by Austria, Poland, and Slovakia. Market size, economic stability, and cultural compatibility was found to be in alignment with the resource advantages strategies highlighted by the Resource Based View. The results provide a comprehensive framework for choosing the optimal criteria for country selection decisions for expansion which are robust and based on empirical market data and therefore should aid family-owned professional development companies to successfully expand into highly competitive international markets.

This doctoral dissertation utilizes survey research design and an interview research design to compare the influence of cultural factors on successful succession in South African and American family owned business (FOB’s). The target populations consisted of owner managers and successors of FOB’s located in two countries: USA (State of Indiana) and South Africa (Indian South Africans). The qualitative research methodology was based on 1:1 interviews with 10 FOB’s in South Africa and the USA. The survey research methodology was based on a cross-sectional survey and the research design was correlational. The independent variables included nine cultural dimensions of the target populations measured using a dedicated survey instrument. The dependent variable (Perceived Success) was the relative success of each participant in the target population, with respect to his/her alleged levels of accomplishment in the succession processes. The demographic characteristics of the members of the target populations were also recorded. Correlative relationships between nine reliably measured cultural dimensions, seven demographic characteristics, and the Perceived Success of the succession process were identified. Differences between the populations in USA and South Africa were apparent. Multiple Linear Regression analysis indicated that the most important predictor of Perceived Success in the USA population was Performance Orientation, followed in rank order by In-Group Collectivism, Assertiveness, and Uncertainty Avoidance. Demographic variables had no significant effect on the relationship between Predicted Success and the cultural dimensions of the USA population. In comparison the most important predictor of Perceived Success in the Indian South African population was Uncertainty Avoidance, followed in rank order by Performance Orientation, Future Orientation, the age of the participant, and the number of people who worked in the participant’s organization. The combined model between the USA and the Indian South African FOB’s indicated that the most important predictor for perceived success was Uncertainty Avoidance, followed in rank order by In- Group Collectivism, Performance Orientation and Assertiveness. Evidence is provided to conclude that the relative importance of cultural dimensions and demographic characteristics to the succession planning of owner managers and successors in South Africa was significantly different to those of their western counterparts.

In this dissertation, the strategic planning process in a family owned firm of Saudi Arabia will be discussed. The main aim is to develop a comprehensive model of strategic planning, specific and customized to the family businesses of Saudi Arabia. The model will encompass all the factors that are unique to the Saudi Arabian family businesses, such as the family culture of Saudi business families, the interfamily dynamics that shape the strategic approach of the family and the unique market conditions or the external environment that influences the strategic planning process of family owned firms in Saudi Arabia. The literature review extensively covers the topic of strategic planning, family business dynamics and major salient features of family business described by various authors. The literature review also discusses the models of family business that define the interaction of various elements in family owned firms, their drawbacks and the gaps in applicability of these documented models to family businesses in general and specificallyt o Saudi Arabian family businessesT. he literaturer eview revealst hat there is no comprehensivem odel of strategicp lanning processf or the family owned firms that highlight all the critical factors that shape the strategic planning process and also documents uccessfufli rms that haveb enefitedf rom thesem odels. Based on an extensive survey of the family owned firms of Saudi Arabia and statistical analysis of various unique features of such firms, the most critical factors that play a major role in strategy formulation could be isolated. These critical factors helped in designing the strategic planning model for the family owned firms of Saudi Arabia. The model was practically implemented and validated in 10 family businesses of the kingdom and results confirm the applicability of this model. The model formulation and validation in the family firms of Saudi Arabia, forms the main focus of this dissertation.

This doctoral dissertation utilizes survey research design and an interview research design to compare the influence of cultural factors on successful succession in South African and American family owned business (FOB’s). The target populations consisted of owner managers and successors of FOB’s located in two countries: USA (State of Indiana) and South Africa (Indian South Africans). The qualitative research methodology was based on 1:1 interviews with 10 FOB’s in South Africa and the USA. The survey research methodology was based on a cross-sectional survey and the research design was correlational. The independent variables included nine cultural dimensions of the target populations measured using a dedicated survey instrument. The dependent variable (Perceived Success) was the relative success of each participant in the target population, with respect to his/her alleged levels of accomplishment in the succession processes. The demographic characteristics of the members of the target populations were also recorded. Correlative relationships between nine reliably measured cultural dimensions, seven demographic characteristics, and the Perceived Success of the succession process were identified. Differences between the populations in USA and South Africa were apparent. Multiple Linear Regression analysis indicated that the most important predictor of Perceived Success in the USA population was Performance Orientation, followed in rank order by In-Group Collectivism, Assertiveness, and Uncertainty Avoidance. Demographic variables had no significant effect on the relationship between Predicted Success and the cultural dimensions of the USA population. In comparison the most important predictor of Perceived Success in the Indian South African population was Uncertainty Avoidance, followed in rank order by Performance Orientation, Future Orientation, the age of the participant, and the number of people who worked in the participant’s organization. The combined model between the USA and the Indian South African FOB’s indicated that the most important predictor for perceived success was Uncertainty Avoidance, followed in rank order by In- Group Collectivism, Performance Orientation and Assertiveness. Evidence is provided to conclude that the relative importance of cultural dimensions and demographic characteristics to the succession planning of owner managers and successors in South Africa was significantly different to those of their western counterparts.

"The problem involved in this study is to determine the status of the live-at-home program of typical veteran farm families in the Aubrey, Texas, area with the view of providing an adequate diet for preschool and school-age children. An adequate diet, which is used for comparison, has been set up by the home demonstration agents of the Texas Extension Service...Recommendations are made to show how the average veteran farm family maybe supplement the present substandard dietary level with farm-produced foods...Data for this study have been procured and organized from a survey of twenty representative veteran farm families in the Aubrey, Texas, area. Personal contacts in the form of visits in the home at least once a month for twelve months in 1949 were made to assist the veterans in recording farm and home income and expenses." -- leaf 1.

This thesis focus on the theoretical aspects of family enterprising and running a family business in the Czech Republic. The first part deals with the history of family enterprising and the importance of family businesses in the economy and society. This part also describes the specificity of family firms, advantages and diadvantages and common problems in family-owned business. The theoretical part of the thesis also analyse the stability of the family firms in recession and the challenges of a family business in Czech Republic. The second part of the thesis contains four czech family firms' case studies.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T20:23:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Caio Eduardo Aguirre.pdf: 1195708 bytes, checksum: 8c6704038a3cf79a311f911c1d61c8cb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-09-17 / This work analyzes the private mediation and the possibility of its application in the environment of family-owned companies. An old means of conflict resolution, mediation resurfaces in today s society with a prominent role, boosted by the crisis in the Judiciary and the certainty that court judgments not always are the best way to solve problems. Recommended in situations in which the parties have a continuing relationship, mediation may, and in fact should, be used in the context of family-owned companies. Such companies have also been attracting the scholars attention due to their peculiarities and the challenge that it is to perpetuate them in an environment where professional activities and affective relationships among family members coexist. This study addresses the characteristics of both mediation and family-owned companies, with the purpose to show that there is great compatibility between them. The ways in which mediation may be enabled in this corporate environment are also analyzed, which requires a study on corporate governance focused on family-owned companies / O presente trabalho analisa a mediação privada e a sua possível utilização no ambiente das empresas familiares. Meio antigo de solucionar conflitos, a mediação ressurge com destaque na sociedade atual impulsionada pela crise do Poder Judiciário e pela constatação de que a sentença judicial nem sempre é a melhor forma de solucionar problemas. Indicada para situações nas quais as partes têm uma relação continuada entre si, a mediação pode e deve ser usada no contexto das empresas familiares. Estas empresas vêm, igualmente, atraindo a atenção dos estudiosos por suas características peculiares e pelo desafio de sua perpetuação num ambiente de coexistência de atividades profissionais e relações afetivas entre os familiares. O estudo aborda as características tanto da mediação como das empresas familiares com o intuito de demonstrar que há grande compatibilidade entre ambas. Também são analisadas as formas pelas quais a mediação pode ser viabilizada nesse ambiente corporativo, o que implica no estudo acerca da governança corporativa voltada para as empresas familiares

The wood products industry is influenced heavily by family ownership along the entire value chain. Although family ownership affects each link of the wood products value chain, there has been little research into the importance of products originating from family forestland. Specific attributes of products, such as origin or environmental certification, have been considered part of a business���s marketing strategies. This study evaluates the relevance of family forest wood product origin and environmental certification for Oregon consumers who participated in this study and Oregon specifiers and industrial customers. Data was collected from consumers, and specifiers and industrial customers in Oregon. Conjoint analysis was employed with softwood lumber as the product and price, wood origin, and environmental certification as the features. Results from this analysis for consumers show that wood origin is the most important factor followed by price and environmental certification. However, for specifiers and industrial customers, price is the most important factor followed by environmental certification and wood origin. "Family" is seen as the most preferred wood origin level for both buyer groups in the study. / Graduation date: 2013

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Albany, 2003. / Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (p. 193-204) and index.

Strategy involvement of boards in small and medium-sized businesses has not been given adequate focus in contemporary research. The main concern has been on exploring the phenomenon in large corporations, which means that the field remains fairly unexplored. The purpose of this study is two folded. Firstly we want to understand what obstacles boards of small and medium-sized businesses face for strategy involvement. Secondly we want to generate new insights and knowledge about how these obstacles can be tackled. In order to accomplish these goals we assume the following two research questions: Research Question 1: Are there any obstacles in the way for strategy involvement of boards in small and medium-sized businesses? Research Question 2: What solutions are there to overcome these obstacles for strategy involvement of boards in small and medium-sized businesses? The first question aims to explore and map potential obstacles for strategy involvement, whereas the second question addresses potential solutions. By utilizing a qualitative approach and interviews we want to better understand the context. Our goal of using this method was to reveal motives and opinions to get a better understanding of how small and medium-sized businesses deal with strategy issues. The participants held various positions within small and medium-sized businesses in Sweden. CEOs, directors and busy directors participated in semi-structured interviews. This study is based upon two frameworks. Firstly we constructed an obstacle framework consisting of five obstacles derived from existing literature. Secondly we made a solution framework, which includes potential solutions connected to the obstacles, also derived from contemporary research. These two frameworks were then used to see what opinions our participants held about them. The data were analyzed by performing a thematic analysis. The idea of using this technique was to identify themes participants held in common. We found some patterns among the respondents which led us to revise both of the frameworks. The main finding of this study is that the presence of a board role conflict seems to be very limited in the context of small and medium-sized businesses. We furthermore found that there are differences in how to solve obstacles in regards to firm size. Two of the suggested solution in existing literature was found to be irrelevant for small and medium-sized businesses. Namely that it is not necessary to get CEOs to embrace strategy involvement, and stopping CEOs from handing over deceiving information is not solved by changing incentives. We also found patterns of two new solutions which were added in the revised solution framework. The first solution involves having regular strategy sessions and meetings. The second solution suggests that it can be advantageous to replace directors uncommitted to strategizing.