Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Family-owned business enterprises – Case studies – Management'

This thesis studies the successful experiences of developing manufacturing strategy from five high-performing large-scale SOEs within China’s petrochemical industry. China’s petrochemical industry constitutes a basic heavy industrial sector, which has always been a strategic focus for reform and development by the Chinese government. Using a confirmation approach, the study has focused on exploring and conceptualising the empirical paradigm of manufacturing strategy development practiced by management. That is examining the ‘empirical specifics’ and surfacing the ‘managerial perceptions’ of content configuration, context of consideration, and process organization for developing a manufacturing strategy during the practice. The research investigation adopts a qualitative exploratory case study methodology with a semi-structural front-end research design. Data collection follows a longitudinal and multiple-case design and triangulates case evidence from sources including qualitative interviews, direct observation, and a search of documentations and archival records. Data analysis follows an investigative progression from a within-case preliminary interpretation of facts to a cross-case search for patterns through theoretical comparison and analytical generalization. The underlying conceptions in both the literature of manufacturing strategy and related studies in business strategy were used to develop theoretical framework and analytical templates applied during data collection and analysis.

Family businesses constitute a large number of businesses worldwide contributing significantly to the global economy. Succession planning is a key issue influencing the sustainability of these family businesses. According to research, approximately 30% of businesses fail due to matters related to succession planning (Grote, 2003). Further research indicated that approximately 50% of family businesses do not have adequate succession plans in place. Hence, family businesses are exposed to significant risk in sustainability due to insufficient succession planning. An effective approach to succession planning in a family business increases the chance of success of a family business in both the short and long term. The purpose of this study was to develop a better understanding of approaches to succession planning in two family businesses in East London, South Africa. This purpose was to improve the commercial viability of family businesses and improve the body of knowledge from an academic perspective. To this end, a detailed literature study was conducted on family businesses and succession planning. A qualitative case study research paradigm was implemented to ascertain the nature of the approaches adopted by the two businesses. An interview process was conducted with the incumbent founders (fathers) and successors (sons) of the family business. This process suggested that each business requires a unique approach to succession plan which may include aspects of formal and informal processes. It is necessary to understand the nature of the family business, its interrelated relationships and context to adequately determine the success of a succession approach. It is for this reason that families aspiring long term sustainability should invest in effective succession planning approaches that integrate the nuances of the individual family business.

Traditionally, funeral homes have been family-owned small businesses which pride themselves on their personal, caring service. Many are located in historic houses worthy of preservation. In the past few decades, however, many family-owned funeral homes have been bought out by large, national corporations in search of big profits. The future of oldhouse funeral homes is uncertain. An inventory of funeral homes was conducted in a ninecounty area of east-central Indiana, including Blackford, Delaware, Grant, Hancock, Henry, Jay, Madison, Randolph, and Wayne Counties. Findings show that a majority (59%) of the funeral homes in the nine-county area of east-central Indiana inventoried are located in former residences built before 1950, with varying degree of modification. While some have had minimal or moderate alterations, a large percentage (54%) of these have been extensively altered over the years. Case studies of four pre-1950 funeral homes in the inventory area revealed that alterations, many of which reflect the needs of the funeral business, have affected not only their integrity but also their ratings in the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory. Recommendations include greater communication between the funeral industry and preservationists, and the establishment of guidelines for sensitive additions that are addressed specifically to the needs of the funeral industry.
Department of Architecture

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Some characteristics of family companies continue even though these enterprises reach high platforms of invoicing, using, for times, hundreds of employees. During its initial phase, many of these enterprises adopt informal procedures that, times later can constitute problems to its higher development, exactly for the fact to be persisted on to the company's culture of the initial phase. In many cases, the lack of a practical and structuralized accounting and the adoption of informal practices constitute serious obstacles, leading the company the filings for the inspection agencies, labor law actions and shunting line of materials and financial resources. Additionally, the absence of more rigid or efficient controls implicates the strategic administration of the company, for the lack of highlights (management information) on competitiveness, costs and financial health. This research had as objective to analyze the problems lived for a great company of the textile segment, caused for a family management, and shows as the reorganization of the countable sector oriented for the adoption of a series of measures, amongst them the implantation of a management accounting. For this study bibliographical documentary research and study of case had been used predominantly, that had allowed lining up the theory and the objectives. Through the developed study, one proves that a structured accounting and the participation and integration of all the sectors in the spreading of the information allow the implantation of a management accounting.
Algumas caracter??sticas de empresas familiares persistem mesmo quando esses empreendimentos atingem elevados patamares de faturamento, empregando, por vezes, centenas de funcion??rios. Muitos desses empreendimentos adotam, durante sua fase inicial, procedimentos informais que, tempos depois, podem acabar se constituindo em empecilhos ao seu maior desenvolvimento, exatamente pelo fato de persistirem arraigados ?? cultura organizacional da fase inicial. Em diversos casos, a falta de uma contabilidade estruturada e a ado????o de pr??ticas informais passam a constituir s??rios obst??culos, levando a empresa a autua????es pelos ??rg??os de fiscaliza????o, a????es trabalhistas e desvio de materiais e de recursos financeiros. Adicionalmente, a aus??ncia de controles mais r??gidos ou eficazes acaba comprometendo a administra????o estrat??gica da empresa, pela falta de sinalizadores (informa????es gerenciais) quanto a sua competitividade, custos e ?? pr??pria sa??de financeira. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo analisar os problemas enfrentados por uma grande empresa do segmento t??xtil, ocasionados por uma gest??o familiar, e mostra como a reestrutura????o do setor cont??bil serviu de base para a ado????o de uma s??rie de medidas, dentre elas a implanta????o de uma contabilidade gerencial. Para este estudo foram utilizados predominantemente pesquisa documental bibliogr??fica e estudo de caso, que permitiram alinhar a teoria e os objetivos em estudo. Atrav??s do estudo desenvolvido, comprova-se que uma contabilidade estruturada e a participa????o e integra????o de todos os setores na divulga????o das informa????es permitem a implanta????o de uma contabilidade gerencial

Despite the increasing significance of Chinese family businesses (CFBs) as an important sector in China??s fast-growing economy, family businesses in China have received little research attention in the literature. The aims of this study are two-fold. First, the study examines the current human resource management (HRM) practices of selected family businesses in the country in areas of recruitment and selection, training and development, performance appraisal, and rewards. Second, it investigates differences in HRM practices of CFBs between the eastern-coastal and inland regions of the country. From a questionnaire survey of 205 CFBs operating in seven cities in two regions, this study has found that CFBs combine their traditional informal, relationship-based HR practices with western-style HR practices. Furthermore, both univariate and multivariate analyses have demonstrated significant regional differences in HRM, thus supporting the argument that a firm??s HR practices are shaped by institutions in which the firm operates. The findings of this study make important contributions to both research and practice. First, the findings have provided further evidence to the applicability of institutional theory to the explanation of HRM practices. Second, the study has also provided some practical implications for HR managers of firms, both domestic and foreign, in China. However, results of this study need to be interpreted with caution because external validity is sacrificed to an extent given its focus on family businesses, a non-probability sampling method and relatively small sample size. In addition, the cross-sectional approach adopted in the study fails to identify changes in HRM over time. Despite the limitations, however, this study has contributed to the body of knowledge by enhancing our understanding of CFBs in China and their HRM that have been under-researched empirically.

by Xu Kai.
Thesis submitted in: December 1999.
Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 134-135).
Abstracts in English and Chinese.
ABSTRACT (English) --- p.iii
ABSTRACT (Chinese) --- p.v
ACKNOWLEDEMENT --- p.vi
LIST OF FIGURES --- p.vii
LIST OF TABLES --- p.viii
Chapter Chapter I --- Introduction --- p.1
Chapter 1. --- Prelude --- p.1
Chapter 2. --- The Questions of Intra- and Inter-Organizational Dynamics --- p.5
Chapter 3. --- Hybridization: A Historical Trajectory of Chinese Advertising Industry --- p.8
Chapter 4. --- Competition and Professionalization: Two Challenges Facing State-Owned Ad Agencies --- p.14
Chapter 5. --- The Basic Conceptual Framework and A Chapter Outline --- p.19
Chapter Chapter II --- "Space, Spatial Partition and Situated Practices of A State-owned Ad Agency" --- p.22
Chapter 1. --- "Strategic Practices, Locale, and Institutional Changes" --- p.22
Chapter 2. --- Key Concepts and Their Linkages --- p.27
Chapter Chapter III --- Methodology --- p.40
Chapter 1. --- Case Study and Case Selection --- p.40
Chapter 2. --- PrQcedure of Fieldwork --- p.42
Chapter 3. --- Data and My Identities in Data Collection --- p.46
Chapter 4. --- Validity of My Interpretation --- p.50
Chapter Chapter IV --- Spatial Partitioning and Routine Practices at PAC --- p.53
Chapter 1. --- Seaside Province and Phoenix City --- p.53
Chapter 2. --- Physical Settings of PAC --- p.57
Chapter 3. --- Professionalization of PAC in the Front Region --- p.68
Chapter 4. --- The Transformation of Organizational Structure --- p.71
Chapter 5. --- Routine and Non-routine Practices in the Back Region --- p.77
Chapter 6. --- The Mixture of Two Systems in PAC --- p.93
Chapter Chapter V --- Patrolling the Spatial Partition in Competition --- p.97
Chapter 1. --- Bidding as A Critical Moment --- p.98
Chapter 2. --- PAC's Preparation for Submitting A Bid --- p.99
Chapter 3. --- PAC's Excellent Performances in Bidding --- p.110
Chapter 4. --- Integration of the Two Paradigms of Organizational Management --- p.112
Chapter Chapter VI --- Conclusion and Discussion: The Hybridization in A Transitional Society --- p.116
Chapter 1. --- Organizational Dualism and Spatial Partitioning in PAC --- p.116
Chapter 2. --- Social Practices in A Transitional Society: A Spatial Perspective --- p.121
Chapter 3. --- Spatial Partitioning in Local Clients and International Ad Agencies --- p.125
Chapter 4. --- Organizational Evolution in A Transitional Society --- p.128
APPENDIX --- p.132
BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.134

Although private family organisations are prevalent role players in both the South African and international economies, limited research has been performed with regard to them. In terms of regulatory requirements, South African private organisations are neither legally required to comply with corporate governance principles, nor are they required to make their financial data available to the general public. Lack of available data, and limited available research, have resulted in an absence of clarity with regard to whether governance structures in private family organisations add any value to these organisations. This study therefore explores, through the use of a multiple-case study, how the individual private family organisations have structured their governance mechanisms, and the reasons as to why they chose to implement these structures. Both case studies revealed that governance structures, in general, add value. The implemented governance structures may even have contributed to the increase in financial performance over time.
Management Accounting
M. Phil. (Accounting Sciences)

本論文研究華人家族企業與華人家族之間的互動關係，並且以南洋兄弟煙草公司和簡氏家族作為本論文的個案研究。在論文中，將討論家族如何與為何影響公司的擁有權、控制權、公司經營和未來發展。同時，也將討論公司如何且為何影響一個家族的成立與擴張，與其他家庭的關係，以及如何從家族變成宗族。
在結論中，我將指出簡氏家族是一個成員不多的小家族，因此必須依賴親戚和廣東同鄉來經營。此外，雖然他們可藉著與簡氏家族的關係而進入南洋，但是他們在南洋的升遷與發展，則依賴他們的表現和與簡家的關係變化。因此在華人家族企業中，家族成員、親戚與同鄉可通過他們與家族的關係而進入企業工作，但是他們的未來取決於他們對公司的貢獻與表現，以及他們與家族之間的關係有何變化。
大部分的簡家成員是通過他們在海外的工作經驗而接觸並學習現代化技術，而非通過教育。此外，雖然簡氏家族在引入現代化技術以改善南洋的生產和管理，並且看似大膽且現代化，但實際上當他們在公司的權利可能因而受影響時，他們則表現得保守與傳統。因此，華人家族企業的現代化取決與華人家族企業的擁有權和控制權是否遭受威脅。如果擁有權和控制權不受影響，現代化的改革則得以實施，不然將仍然保留傳統的模式。現代化並非單純的零和模式，因此許多華人家族企業是現代與傳統的混合體。
由於與政治界缺乏有效的方式與溝通，南洋與簡氏家族都不可避免地受到政府的影響，無力拒絶政府的要求並為他們自己爭取更好的機會。如同民國時期其他商人與企業，當中國出現大一統政府時，他們就無法取得比較好的機會與待遇。
本研究也為華人家族企業指出了四個新理論。第一，當華人家族企業為股份公司時，其擁有權將影響其控制權。第二，家族成員、親戚與鄉親可進入公司，但他們的地位取決於其貢獻與表現，以及他們與家族的關係。第三，華人家族企業的現代化，取決於家族是否可保有對公司的擁有權和控制權。第四 ，企業家精神有時對公司不是好處，而是壞處。
The thesis is a research based on a case study of the inter-relation of a Chinese family firm and a Chinese family: the Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Company and the Jian family. The article will be discussing on the rationale and practices that influence a firm on its ownership, authority, operations and developments; In addition, the ground of these influences towards its family growth, expansion, connection with other families, eventually leading to a lineage evolution.
Throughout the study, I have indicated that the Jian family is a small family. Hence, most of its members have to rely on their paternal and maternal relatives, or the Cantonese fellows to operate Nanyang. In the beginning stage, this group of family members could obtain a position in Nanyang through relationship with the Jian family. However, their career paths in Nanyang are subject to their performances and the changes of relationship with the Jian family at some point in the future.
In spite of ample working experience gained in overseas, most members from the Jian family did not learn about modernization through academic choice. Notwithstanding the evidence that the Jian family has introduced the modern skills and technology into the process of Nanyang’s manufacturing and management, it is unlikely that the authority could forgo the conventional methodology in order to adapt to the advanced formulas. Over and above that, this group of family members regards this phenomenon as a disadvantage towards their position in Nanyang. The threat level of present authority and ownership determines the success rate of the evolution within a Chinese family firm. Modernization could be realized if only the present authority were not affected. However, the evolution within a firm is not a zero-sum game. And therefore, many of the Chinese family firms adapt to the integration of modern and conventional management approach.
The lack of communication efficiency between the local government and Jian family, as well as Nanyang is the fundamental of its political position. Due to its political positioning, Nanyang unavoidably faces difficulties in declining requests from the government and to strive for greater opportunities. Like any other merchants during the Republican Era of China, they could not gain a better treatment under these circumstances.
The research indicated four principles for these Chinese family firms. Firstly, when a Chinese family firm is also a stock corporate at the same time, its ownership of the company’s share will directly impact on its individual authority. Secondly, family members, relatives, and fellows could achieve an easy entry into a Chinese family firm based on its relationship. However, the career paths in the firm are subject to their individual performances and the relationship with the family. Thirdly, the threat level of present authority and ownership determines the success rate of the evolution within a Chinese family firm. Modernization could be realized if only the present authority were not affected. Otherwise, modernization will be denied at the initial stage. Lastly, entrepreneurship is a double-edged sword. It allows a firm to unleash its greatness; or, a significant drawback.
Detailed summary in vernacular field only.
Detailed summary in vernacular field only.
Detailed summary in vernacular field only.
Detailed summary in vernacular field only.
Detailed summary in vernacular field only.
Chong, Henry Ren Jie.
Thesis (Ph.D.) Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2015.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 277-292).
Abstracts also in Chinese.

Prior literature focuses on the causes and effects of ownership concentration between significant blockholders and minority shareholders. Anecdotal evidence shows that it is also important to look at the causes and effects of ownership concentration within controlling families as family ownership can become diffused after generations. Family trust is a popular vehicle for holding family ownership. It allows a founder to concentrate firm ownership on a long-term basis, preventing control loss after he/she steps down. Family members can enjoy control benefits such as preservation of their family intangible assets. However, there is tradeoff. Family members cannot resolve their conflicts by acquiring and selling off shares among them, since they are no longer the legal owners of the shares.
Using a sample of 216 family firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange with time series data spanning 1990--2008, I investigate the causes and effects of ownership concentration by means of family trust. I fmd that when family control is important (when there exists a large amount of family intangibles), there is a higher propensity that family trust is used to concentrate ownership and secure control, provided that the cost of using it is low (small family size hence low family conflict). However, when there are more and more family members after generations, the benefit of preserving the intangibles may not be high enough to cover the cost of potential family conflict, leading to firm value loss. Moreover, the cost of using trust magnifies during difficult periods such as financial distress, economic downturn and leadership succession. Hence, firms with high potential family conflict have poorer performance during difficult time if family trust is used for holding the firm's controlling stake. Family trust also induces common pool problem. Family members tend to extract resources from the family firm as much and as early as possible, leading to higher payout and slower firm growth.
Leung, Siu Ching.
Adviser: Joseph P. H. Fan.
Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 73-03, Section: A, page: .
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010.
Includes bibliographical references (leaf 58).
Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web.
Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web.
Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web.
Abstract also in Chinese.

Throughout the world, weather-related and other natural phenomena claim thousands of lives and devour billions of dollars annually in recovery efforts. Destruction of life and property in the wake of disasters is devastating, and can have a dramatic impact on families and businesses around the globe. Yet, published works specifically in the field of Family Resource Management (FRM) reveal a limited understanding of how families respond when these critical events strike with little or no warning, particularly for business-owning families. This paper explores family business responses to a particular natural disaster through case study research from the FRM perspective. Essentially, its purpose is to ascertain whether the FRM description of management is useful for family business systems in the wake of a natural disaster. A review of the FRM and family business literature is offered, followed by a broad description of qualitative methods and a justification for the case study methodology for this project. In-depth information about the successful management of a natural disaster was gathered through face-to-face and phone interviews with five leaders of family-owned businesses. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed, followed by member checks and peer reviews to strengthen the trustworthiness of the findings. Based on the experiences of the five CEOs that participated in this study, it appears that the FRM conceptualization of management generally captured their experience and can perhaps be a useful tool in conceptualizing the preparation for, and recovery from, critical events. It was also found, as anticipated, that access to tangible resources (money, materials, equipment) and intangible resources (communication processes, family unity, adaptability, relationships) was a key to successful management. What was somewhat surprising, however, was the emphasis placed on the power of relationships in the management process. A discussion on how this study relates to previous work on family stress and coping models is offered, and implications for researchers, practitioners, and government agencies that interface with families in business are provided.
Graduation date: 2003