Winter 2012 Openers

Three recent studies aimed to shed light on family companies' competitive advantages, and to explain the role of the “family factor” in conferring those advantages. The findings confirm some conventional wisdom about family businesses. They also indicate that if a proper balance is not achieved, a strength can become a weakness.

• A research team from Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Management compared family-controlled public companies with other publicly owned businesses and found that companies whose founder or founding family strongly influences management are involved in more socially responsible initiatives.

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About the Author(s)

Barbara Spector

Barbara Spector is Family Business Magazine's editor-at-large.


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