Family Business: Research

In its 30-year history, family business research has made significant advancements. As researchers continue to explore the many facets of family businesses, there are several aspects that are worth considering and exploring in greater depth.

Academic research on family business started in earnest in the 1980s, when psychologists such as [Page 190]Richard Beckhard, Elaine Kepner, E. J. Miller and A. K. Rice, Ivan Lansberg, and Manfred Kets de Vries consistently noticed important differences in families who worked together in business. Hence, from its inception, family business was strongly influenced by fields such as family therapy and clinical psychology. As researchers started to understand the relevance of family businesses and their contributions to economic and social welfare, more researchers from other fields, such as management and organizational ...