IFERA 2018 Conference, Zwolle, The Netherlands
“Coping with Disruptions: Family Firm Continuity and Sustainability in Times of Rapid Change”
Radical technological changes in family firms’ business environment, as well as major social, economic and political changes throughout the world, demand more flexibility and adaptability from family firms. At the same time, the family system itself is altering significantly. Families become smaller, have fewer children and will include more elderly persons, potentially endangering the continuity of the family firm. It is thus increasingly important for family firms to develop strategies and structures needed to address radical change, both internally and externally.
The International Family Enterprise Research Academy, IFERA, invites papers that add knowledge to the selected conference theme “Coping with Disruptions: Family Firm Continuity and Sustainability in Times of Rapid Change”. In addition, we invite papers on all aspects of family business research, including but not limited to succession, leadership, governance, entrepreneurship, innovation, strategy, marketing, organizational behavior, sociology, family psychology, history, economics, finance and accounting, as well as topics that lie at the intersection of these and other interrelated disciplines. All theoretical and methodological approaches are welcome. As “engaged scholarship” is highly valued in the conference host organization, researchers are encouraged to reflect, next to the theoretical contribution, on the practical implications of their studies.
Keynote Speakers:
Joe Astrachan, Formerly Kennesaw University, USA
Kimberly Elsbach, University of California Davis, USA
Tim Mescon, AACSB International
Josip Kotlar, Lancaster University, UK
Pictures of the event are available on the IFERA Official Facebook page
Committee
Conference Co-Chairs: Anita Van Gils, Ilse Matser
Consortia Chair: Claudia Binz Astrachan
Research and publications Director: Josip Kotlar
Event Coordinators: Valentina Re, Karin Rozendal
Program
Conference Venue: Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, Zwolle, The Netherlands
Event dates: 3rd – 6th July 2018
Conference Program Overview (pdf)
Consortiums Program Overview (pdf)
Conference proceedings (members access only)
Awards
IFERA 2018 will assign several awards that, based on peer-review, will recognize excellence, quality and impact of papers and proposals submitted to the conference. Awards will include the Best Conference Paper, a Best Paper on Conference Theme, the Best Paper-Contribution to Practice, the Best Reviewer(s) and the best PhD Thesis Proposal.
The “Province of Overijssel” Best conference paper award: €2,500
Award jury: Lloyd Steier (chair), Torsten Pieper and Kimberly Eddleston
Winner:
Risk-taking and Financial Distress in Family Business – Francesco Chirico, Massimo Baù, Luis R. Gómez-Mejia and Geoffrey Martin
Other nominated papers:
- Family Firm Longevity and Succession Processes: A Theory of Business Family Learning – Ann Sophie Katharina Löhde, Andrea Calabrò and Mariateresa Torchia
- Commitment is not enough: Goal alignment as the key to performance in family firms – Sabrina Schell, Julia K. De Groote, Laura Stanley and Joseph T. Cooper
- Unpacking resource exchange in internal corporate venturing: Decision framing, risk and consequences for venture autonomy – Mara Brumana, Tommaso Minola, Matthias Waldkirch and Mattias Nordqvist
The IFERA Best paper on conference theme award: €1,000
Award jury: Sabine Rau (chair), Britta Boyd and Mattias Nordqvist
Winner:
Family Firm Disrupters: Exploring the Relationships between Family Cohesion, Family Disruptive Capacity, and Company Disruptive Capacity – Joseph Astrachan, Claudia Binz Astrachan and Josip Kotlar
Other nominated papers :
- Strategic Renewal Throughout the Family-Business: The Effect of Newcomers and Oldtimers – Inge Jantine Marianne Scholman, Lucie Rosemarie Van den Bergh, Flóra Debreczeni, Yoran Frauenfelder and Jan Pieter Coenraad Rigtering
- Family Equity Generation–The central survival mechanism of entrepreneurial families – Nadine Kammerlander and Philipp Bierl
The “Ten Clarenwater Foundation” best teaching case award: €1,500
Award Jury: Joe Astrachan (chair), Isabel Botero and Andrea Calabro
Winner:
Jansen Office Supplies: Love to Work….or not? A Shift in Leadership and Strategy – Jan Willem van der Vloot van Vliet, Rachel Heeringa and Ilse Matser
Other nominated papers:
- Solar Innovations Group: Managing Change in a Family Firm – Judith van Helvert-Beugels and Jolanda Knobel
- Succession in the Czech family business – the case of LIKO-S company – Lenka Machková and Jiří Hnilica
The FBNed Best paper contribution to practice award: €1,000
Award Jury: Panikkos Poutziouris (chair), Rania Labaki, and Alfredo de Massis
Winner:
Outside Director and the Disclosure of Firm-Specific Information to the Board of Directors in Privately Held Firms – Yan Du, Ann Jorissen and Lorraine Uhlaner
Other nominated papers:
- Family Business Growth: Tensions between Family and Business Values and the Role of Temporal Work – Johanna Raitis, Innan Sasaki and Josip Kotlar
- Understanding the Development of Psychological Ownership in Family Firms: The Role of Family Dynamics – Maria Piedad Lopez-Vergara and Isabel C. Botero
- “Can I transfer my ties to my son?” The transfer of external social capital in family business transgenerational succession – Emanuela Rondi
The “Dutch Centre for Family Business” Best Reviewer Award: €500 + 2019 IFERA conference fee waiver
Award Jury: Josip Kotlar (chair), Ilse Matser and Anita Van Gils
Winners:
Unai Arzubiaga, Jasper Brinkerink, Alexandra Dawson, Vittoria Magrelli
The IFERA Best PhD research proposal award: € 2000
Award Jury: Leif Melin (chair), Esra Memili and Nadine Kammerlander
Winner:
Ownership Succession Financing and Post-Succession Development Paths in Private Family Firms – Ellen Janssen, Hasselt University
Other nominated papers:
- The Relationship between Socio-Emotional Wealth and Emotional Labor in Family Firms – Ayoosha Saleem, University of Adelaide
- Role Reversal: Exploring the M&A Process when the Family Firm is the Acquirer – Darin A. Dredge Kennesaw State University
- Temporal Orientation of Family Firms: An Examination of Drivers and Innovation Implications – Frank Bos, Windesheim University of Applied Sciences / University of Groningen
Call for Papers
Radical technological changes in family firms’ business environment, as well as major social, economic and political changes throughout the world, demand more flexibility and adaptability from family firms. At the same time, the family system itself is altering significantly. Families become smaller, have fewer children and will include more elderly persons, potentially endangering the continuity of the family firm. It is thus increasingly important for family firms to develop strategies and structures needed to address radical change, both internally and externally.
The International Family Enterprise Research Academy, IFERA, invites papers that add knowledge to the selected conference theme “Coping with Disruptions: Family Firm Continuity and Sustainability in Times of Rapid Change”. In addition, we invite papers on all aspects of family business research, including but not limited to succession, leadership, governance, entrepreneurship, innovation, strategy, marketing, organizational behaviour, sociology, family psychology, history, economics, finance and accounting, as well as topics that lie at the intersection of these and other interrelated disciplines. All theoretical and methodological approaches are welcome. As “engaged scholarship” is highly valued in the conference host organization, researchers are encouraged to reflect, next to the theoretical contribution, on the practical implications of their studies.
Windesheim University of Applied Sciences (https://www.windesheiminternational.nl) located in Zwolle (just one hour by direct train from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport) is looking forward to warmly welcome you in July 2018!
Potential research questions following the conference theme:
How do family owners and their management teams change their strategies and long-term (investment) behaviour in times of disruptive change?
How do family firms deal with the risks associated with disruptive technologies? Which (family) factors influence the eventual adjustment of the innovation portfolio in these family firms? How do family firms balance between more incremental versus more radically new innovation projects?
How do entrepreneurial families deal with the current challenges regarding big data, knowledge acquisition, codification, and dissemination?
How do incumbents and next-gen members deal with the challenges of digitalization?
Which factors stimulate family firms to opt for more sustainability-oriented practices, and how can these innovations support the development of a more inclusive society?
When and why do families take strategic decisions that stimulate growth options such as acquisitions and innovative spinoffs or startups to extend the business portfolio? Do these strategic changes influence the attitudes of next-generation family members regarding succession in the firm?
How can human resource and corporate governance practices within family firm groups be initiated or transformed to enhance the necessary change processes?
How does the capital structure of family firms change in high velocity environments?
How can institutional partners, such as regional and national governments, research institutes, and universities support the strategic change process in entrepreneurial families?
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