In the wake of growing tensions and expectations towards the closing submission platform (recently extended to the 1st of February), we reached out to the Chairs of IFERA 2026 to explore the core ideas shaping this year’s event. We invited them to reflect on the conference theme and to share their aspirations for the upcoming edition. Our exchange with Alessandro Cirillo and Donata Mussolino from the University of Napoli – Federico II was both dynamic and thought-provoking. Below, they offer their insights into the spirit and direction of IFERA 2026.
The notion of “legacy” has long been central to family business research. What motivated the decision to frame this conference around “legacy in action,” and what does this topic imply for how scholars should conceptualize legacy today?
Alessandro Cirillo: Legacy can be seen as a static pillar, firmly rooted in the past. However, we want to emphasise the idea of legacy as a bridge to the future. Legacy can feel like something set in stone. We want to flip that. Think of it as a foundation you build from, not a monument you protect. With "legacy in action," we aim to convey a sense of continuity that can be built upon, rather than something that instils overwhelming fear in family members. It's about approaching legacy with respect while simultaneously fostering value creation that stems from it. We encourage our colleagues to view legacy as a forward-looking concept that upholds family values.
Donata Mussolino: As conference chairs, we build on the idea that family firms leverage distinct forms of family capital to set strategies that balance social, economic, and environmental objectives. In an era characterized by societal challenges, intergenerational transitions, and increasing expectations from communities, family firms face a growing urgency to generate positive and enduring impact. In such a scenario, we conceive “legacy in action” operating as a catalyst for decision-making and strategic behavior. Rather than constraining firms to tradition, legacy can enable innovation by providing values, identity, and long-term orientation that guide new strategic choices. This perspective implies that scholars should conceptualize legacy not merely as a symbolic or historical construct, but as an actionable and evolving process. Viewing legacy in this way invites research that, connecting legacy to action, addresses how family firms generate new forms of value while remaining anchored to core purpose and responsibility through family capital.
How does the conference aim to actively engage family business practitioners, and what value do you see for practitioners in participating in the conference?
Alessandro: The conference aims to actively engage family business practitioners through dedicated sessions, panel contributions, and innovative paper formats. In particular, the program will feature thematic and interactive special sessions, primarily structured as roundtables involving representatives of local family firms, professional advisors, consultants, and institutional stakeholders. These sessions are designed to promote constructive dialogue and reciprocal learning between scholars and practitioners. In addition, one plenary session will feature a round table of family entrepreneurs, offering first-hand, practice-based debate and insights. The conference also offers the possibility to submit a paper, accompanied by a specific award, with an ad-hoc format that encourages scholars to reflect critically on the tangible impact of their work on firms, institutions, and industry actors, emphasizing their practical implications. Overall, this approach is intended to strengthen the connection between academia and entrepreneurship and to foster meaningful practitioner participation.
What is the key insight or takeaway you hope participants will leave with regarding how family firms can actively mobilize legacy and family capital to generate enduring impact?
Alessandro: We are committed to placing legacy at the center of a practical conversation. Our goal is to collaboratively evaluate the professional and academic relevance of this concept, which has multiple dimensions. Given this complexity, it is essential to understand that legacy can serve as a practical tool for owners, entrepreneurs, and consultants. This is a key takeaway we want to emphasize. Therefore, the conference will also benefit from the significant contributions of non-scholarly participants.
Donata: We aspire to foster debate on legacy in its multifaceted nature and how different dimensions of family capital interact. Therefore, the key insight we hope participants will take away is that legacy plays a central role in enabling family capital to generate positive financial, social, and environmental impact for the family, the business, and the broader community. Indeed, enduring impact emerges when legacy is actively integrated into strategic decision-making, transgenerational intentions, leadership, and community engagement.
The conference takes place in Naples, a context deeply shaped by history, family entrepreneurship, and strong territorial ties. How does this setting reinforce or enrich the conference’s focus on legacy in action?
Alessandro: Naples is not merely a backdrop; it is an empirical validation of the very theories we are here to discuss. In this city, we observe a unique form of temporal embeddedness. The local family firms - whether in high-end tailoring, maritime logistics, or artisanal gastronomy - demonstrate that 'legacy' is not a static artifact of the past, but a dynamic capability used to navigate the future. When we speak of 'legacy in action,' we are seeing it here in real-time. We see how imprinting from centuries ago continues to shape modern organizational identity. The survival of these firms in such a complex environment suggests that adherence to tradition - often dismissed in modern management literature as inertia - is actually a sophisticated mechanism for long-term stewardship and resilience. Naples teaches us that to innovate, one must first deeply understand what is being preserved.
Donata: This setting is critical because it compels us to confront the importance of contextualization in entrepreneurship. Naples exemplifies an environment marked by strong and enduring family capital, where business decisions are inseparable from family reputation and deep territorial loyalty. Economic activity is profoundly embedded in social structures, making entrepreneurship a collective and relational process rather than a purely individual one. This context reinforces our conference theme by demonstrating that legacy, in practice, is fundamentally relational. The resilience of Neapolitan entrepreneurship illustrates the capacity of firms to extend the boundaries of the family to include external actors when relationships become strategically and socially critical. “Legacy in action” is evident in the way Neapolitan enterprises draw upon rich historical and cultural roots - those for which Naples is known worldwide - to construct a distinctive business identity. This identity is firmly anchored in the territory and recognizable through its multiple, layered expressions, shaped by history, family entrepreneurship, and dense networks of social relations.
If you had to choose just one place in Naples that conference participants should not miss, what would it be?
Alessandro: If I must select a single location, I strongly advocate for the Cloister of Santa Chiara (Chiostro di Santa Chiara). As scholars, we often navigate complex systems and seek clarity amidst noise. Naples is a city of vibrant, chaotic energy, but Santa Chiara represents the historic resilience and structural elegance that underpins it. Located in the heart of Spaccanapoli, this fourteenth-century complex offers a profound silence that contrasts sharply with the bustling streets outside. The majolica-tiled columns and the ancient citrus garden are not merely decorative; they are a testament to the preservation of beauty and tradition over centuries. It is the perfect environment for a delegate to pause, reflect on the discussions of the day, and appreciate the enduring legacy of Neapolitan craftsmanship. It reminds us that innovation is best built upon a solid, historic foundation.
Donata: To truly understand an ecosystem, one must view it from a vantage point that reveals its structure and interconnectedness. Therefore, I insist on the Certosa di San Martino. Perched atop the Vomero hill, this former monastery represents the intersection of history, art, and geography. Standing on the terrace (or the ramparts of the adjacent Castel Sant'Elmo), one commands a view of the entire Gulf of Naples, Vesuvius, and the Spaccanapoli cutting through the urban fabric. It is the ultimate exercise in perspective. Just as we analyze business ventures within their broader markets, here you witness Naples not as a series of fragmented streets, but as a cohesive, historic entity. It is the only place where the complexity of this city becomes clear, logical, and breathtaking.
We think that looking at legacy as an actionable and evolving process does stress the conceptual potential and richness it offers to our community of engaged researchers. But it also aligns very well with our anticipating and hopeful minds that already dream of the hugs and reunions at the upcoming conference. A presto!
