Отбасылық кәсіпорын: тарихы, ерекшеліктері мен экономикадағы ролі

Commercial enterprise run by a family

A family business is a commercial organization in which decision making is influenced by multiple generations of a family, related by blood or marriage or adoption, who has both the ability to influence the vision of the business and the willingness to use this ability to pursue distinctive goals. They are closely identified with the firm through leadership or ownership. Owner manager entrepreneurial firms are not considered to be family businesses because they lack the multi generational dimension and family influence that create the unique dynamics and relationships of family businesses.

A family business is the oldest and most common model of economic organization. The vast majority of businesses throughout the world—from corner shops to multinational publicly listed organizations with hundreds of thousands of employees—can be considered as family businesses. Based on research of the Forbes 400 richest Americans, 44% of the Forbes 400 member fortunes were derived by being a member of or in association with a family business. The economic prevalence and importance of this kind of business are often underestimated. Throughout most of the 20th century, academics and economists were intrigued by a newer, “improved” model: large publicly traded companies run in an apparently rational, bureaucratic manner by well trained “organization men.” Entrepreneurial and family firms, with their specific management models and complicated psychological processes, often fell short by comparison. Some of the world's largest family run businesses are Walmart (United States), Volkswagen Group (Germany), Samsung Group (Korea) and Tata Group (India). The "Global Family Business Index" comprises the largest 500 family firms around the globe. In this index—published for a first time in 2015 by Center for Family Business University of St. Gallen and EY—for a privately held firm, a firm is classified as a family firm in case a family controls more than 50% of the voting rights. For a publicly listed firm, a firm is classified as a family firm in case the family holds at least 32% of the voting rights. Family owned businesses account for over 30% of companies with sales over $1 billion. In a family business, two or more members within the management team are drawn from the owning family. Family businesses can have owners who are not family members. Family businesses may also be managed by individuals who are not members of the family. However, family members are often involved in the operations of their family business in some capacity and, in smaller companies, usually one or more family members are the senior officers and managers. In India, many businesses that are now public companies were once family businesses. Family participation as managers and/or owners of a business can strengthen the company because family members are often loyal and dedicated to the family enterprise. However, family participation as managers and/or owners of a business can present unique problems because the dynamics of the family system and the dynamics of the business systems are often not in balance.

The interests of the entire family may not be balanced with the interests of their business. For example, if a family needs its business to distribute funds for living expenses and retirement, but the business requires those to stay competitive, the interests of the entire family and the business are not aligned. Nepotism has been listed as a problem with family businesses. Forbes writes that "nepotism in family businesses is a phenomenon that has been present for centuries" and that it is "prevalent" in such businesses. Nepotism based favouritism contributes to a poorer workplace atmosphere and tension, which can impact worker contributions to the organisation. The interest of one family member may not be aligned with another family member. For example, a family member who is an owner may want to sell the business to maximize their return, but a family member who is an owner and also a manager may want to keep the company because it represents their career and they want their children to have the opportunity to work in the company.

The challenge for business families is that family, ownership, and business roles involve different and sometimes conflicting values, goals, and actions. For example, family members put a high priority on emotional capital—the family success that unites them through consecutive generations. Executives in the business are concerned about strategy and social capital—the reputation of their firm in the marketplace. Owners are interested in financial capital—performance in terms of wealth creation.

Fairness is a fundamental issue in family business decision making. Solutions that are perceived as fair by the family and business stakeholders are more likely to be accepted and supported. Fair process helps create organizational justice by engaging family members, whether as owners and employees, in a series of practical steps to address and resolve critical issues. Fair process lays a foundation for continued family participation over generations.

The challenge faced by family businesses and their stakeholders, is to recognise the issues that they face, understand how to develop strategies to address them and more importantly, to create narratives, or family stories that explain the emotional dimension of the issues to the family. The most intractable family business issues are not the business problems the organisation faces, but the emotional issues that compound them. Many years of achievement through generations can be destroyed by the next, if the family fails to address the psychological issues they face. Applying psychodynamic concepts will help to explain behaviour and will enable the family to prepare for life cycle transitions and other issues that may arise. Family run organisations need a new understanding and a broader perspective on the human dynamics of family firms with two complementary frameworks, psychodynamic and family systematic.

There appear to be two main factors affecting the development of family business and succession process: the size of the family, in relative terms the volume of business, and suitability to lead the organization, in terms of managerial ability, technical and commitment (Arieu, 2010). Arieu proposed a model in order to classify family firms into four scenarios: political, openness, foreign management and natural succession. Potential successors who had professional experience outside the family business may decide to leave the firm to found a new one, either with or without the support of the family. Instead, successors tend to be characterized by professional experience only within the family business. The education of potential successors is a critical issue in the succession process because it affects the endowment of managerial capabilities of the firm. If the succession process has been planned in advance, the incumbent and successor usually show higher levels of satisfaction. Particularly important is the incumbent’s willingness to step down. The incumbent gradually gives away his power to the successor. This happens step by step and may take several years. Such a transfer of power can take the form of the incumbent providing the successor with entrepreneurial resources that foster the firm's innovation. Eventually, the successor gains all the authority and influence while the incumbent steps down, leaves to company completely, or remains as an advisor (Sharma, Chrisman, & Chua, 2003; Handler, 1990). An international body called International Council for Family Business (ICFB) having professor Alain Ndedi as Board of Trustees chairman, is assisting worldwide the private sector and non for profit organisations (Universities, Foundations, etc) to develop effective and successful planning process.

Successfully balancing the differing interests of family members and/or the interests of one or more family members on the one hand and the interests of the business on the other hand require the people involved to have the competencies, character and commitment to do this work. Family owned companies present special challenges to those who run them. They can be quirky, developing unique cultures and procedures as they grow and mature. That is fine, as long as they continue to be managed by people who are steeped in the traditions, or at least able to adapt to them. Often family members can benefit from involving more than one professional advisor, each having the particular skill set needed by the family. Some of the skill sets that might be needed include communication, conflict resolution, family systems, finance, legal, accounting, insurance, investing, leadership development, management development, and strategic planning. Ownership in a family business will also show maturity of the business. If all the shares rest with one individual, a family business is still in its infant stage, even if the revenue is strong.