International Family Enterprise Research Academy (IFERA) collected some numbers about family businesses to confirm what several experts in the field have always claimed: that family businesses dominate most economies around the world. IFERA asked over 60 researchers and professionals dealing with family businesses in various countries to get a numerical/statistical confirmation of this hypothesis. The results confirm the leading role of family businesses in worldwide economic production and employment.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Astrachan, J.H., & Shanker, M.C. ( 2003). Family businesses’ contribution to the U.S. economy: A closer look. Family Business Review, 16(3), 211-220.
2.
Bernhoeft Consulting Group. (2000). Estimates. Personal communication. Sao Paolo, Brazil.
3.
Corbetta, G. ( 1995). Patterns of development of family businesses in Italy . Family Business Review, 8(4), 267-291.
4.
Crijns, H. ( 2201). Estimates. Personal communication. Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School, Belgium.
5.
Deloitte & Touche. (1999). Are Canadian family businesses an endangered species?Toronto, Canada: The Deloitte and Touche Centre for Tax Education and Research.
6.
Emling, E. ( 2000). Swedish family businesses. Ekonomiska Forskningsinstitutet vid Handelshögskolan i Stockholm: Stockholm.
7.
Faustine, P. ( 2001) The influence of trust in exchanging business vision and knowledge within a family business: A case study in PT GTX Bandung/Indonesia . FBN Research Forum Proceedings, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy.
8.
Flören, R.H. ( 1998). The significance of family business in the Netherlands . Family Business Review, 11(2), 121-134.
9.
Gallo, M.A., Cappuyns, K., & Estapé, M.J. (1995). Family business in Spain: Tracks followed and outcomes reached by those among the largest thousand . Family Business Review, 8(4), 245-254.
10.
Houshi. Houshi’s 1,300 year history. (http:// www.ho-shi.co.jp/jiten/Houshi E/home.htm)
11.
Klein, S.B. ( 2000a). Family businesses in Germany: Significance and structure . Family Business Review, 8(3), 157-181.
12.
Klein, S.B. ( 2000b). Familienunternehmen-Theoretische und empirische. Wiesbaden, Germany: Grundlagen.
13.
Klein, S.B., & Blondel, C. ( 2002). Ownership structure of the 250 largest listed companies in Germany. INSEAD working paper (2002/123/IIFE).
14.
Martinez, J.I. ( 1994). Family businesses in Chile. Family Business Network Newsletter, 9, 5.
15.
National Income Statistics, India. (2001) Data fom the Web site (http://www.indiastat.com/india/economy/National_Income.asp?secid=175&ptid=8)
16.
Niedbala, E. ( 2002). Estimates. Personal communication. The Karol Adamiecki University of Economics in Katowice.
17.
N.N. (1995). Family business statistics in Ireland. Sunday Business Post, April, 9, 1995.
18.
Perkins, G. ( 2002). Estimates. Personal communication. IAE, Argentina.
19.
Pieper, T. ( 2001). Family business internationalization: Best practices from the hidden champions. Unpublished working paper.
20.
Poutziouris, P. ( 2001). Estimates. Greece and Cyprus from a PRIMA study in collaboration with Grant Thornton. Manchester, United Kingdom: Manchester Science Enterprise Centre.
21.
Poza, E.J. ( 1995). Global competition and the family-owned business in Latin America. Family Business Review, 8(4), 301-311.
22.
Reojo, P. ( 1997). The family businesses among the top thousand family businesses in Portugal. (Note EF-A-289, AESE.)
23.
Shanker, M.C., & Astrachan, J.H. (1996). Myths and realities: Family businesses’ contribution to the US economy-A framework for assessing family business statistics. Family Business Review, 9(2), 107-119.
24.
Simon, H. ( 1996). Hidden champions: Lessons from 500 of the world’s best unknown companies. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
25.
Smyrnios, K. X., Romano, C., & Tanewski, G. A. ( 1997). The Australian & private family business survey. Melbourne: Monsah University National Family Business Research Unit.
26.
Sorenson, P.O. ( 2001). Estimates. Personal communication. Aarhus School of Business, Denmark.
27.
Veaceslav, A., & Lehtinen, N. ( 2001): Statistical assessment research of family business populations in Finland. Published master’s thesis in entrepreneur-ship, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
28.
Weber, J., Lavelle, L., Lowry, T., Zellner, W., & Barrett, A. ( 2003, November 10). Family, Inc. Business Week , 100-114.