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Consulting, Family, Family Voices, Governance, Ownership
Global Immersion: Consulting & Advising Family Enterprises (CAFE in Italy) 2025 Student Reflections
Seven days, five Italian cities, six company visits, and more than a dozen engaging sessions—the “CAFE in Italy” Global Immersion course took 16 graduate students on a deep dive into the heart of Italian family enterprises. Led by Professor Gaia Marchisio, participants met with owners, next‐generation leaders, and seasoned advisors. Stops included Barilla, Petrolifera Italo Rumena (PIR), Ascoli Bottoni, Acetaia Giusti, Ferragamo, and Frescobaldi, as well as discussions with DeAgostini, Bocconi University, Association of Italian Family Businesses, and Fideuram Intesa Sanpaolo. Students gained behind‐the‐scenes insight on succession, brand evolution, governance, and family values. The result was a vivid illustration of how tradition and innovation can combine to keep family legacies thriving across centuries.
Family, Family Voices, Governance, Ownership
2024 Owners' Day: A New Era for the Global Family Enterprise Program
On October 1st, the Global Family Enterprise Program held its inaugural Owners' Day, a milestone event that brought together family enterprise leaders, students, alumni, and experts to explore the evolving role of ownership in today’s world. The event showcased the potential for family enterprises to not only drive economic success but to lead with values and create sustainable, positive change across industries, communities, and generations.
Family, Family Voices, Governance, Ownership
Think Bigger
Our spotlight is on the latest groundbreaking work by Sheena Iyengar, the esteemed inaugural S.T. Lee Professor of Business in the Management Division at Columbia Business School, and a renowned authority on choice and decision-making. Her book is a beacon of inspiration for us all.
Leadership and Strategy, Ownership, Research Findings, Strategy
Can you understand family-owned business without the emotions?
How do emotions impact decision-making in your family enterprise? Fabian Bernhard, Associate Professor of Management, EDHEC Business School, explains.
Ownership, Practitioner Perspectives
The Owner’s Journey
Entrepreneurship in the United States continues to be a major path to wealth creation for individuals and their families.
Explore Further
Consulting, Family, Family Voices, Governance, Ownership
Global Immersion: Consulting & Advising Family Enterprises (CAFE in Italy) 2025 Student Reflections
Seven days, five Italian cities, six company visits, and more than a dozen engaging sessions—the “CAFE in Italy” Global Immersion course took 16 graduate students on a deep dive into the heart of Italian family enterprises. Led by Professor Gaia Marchisio, participants met with owners, next‐generation leaders, and seasoned advisors. Stops included Barilla, Petrolifera Italo Rumena (PIR), Ascoli Bottoni, Acetaia Giusti, Ferragamo, and Frescobaldi, as well as discussions with DeAgostini, Bocconi University, Association of Italian Family Businesses, and Fideuram Intesa Sanpaolo. Students gained behind‐the‐scenes insight on succession, brand evolution, governance, and family values. The result was a vivid illustration of how tradition and innovation can combine to keep family legacies thriving across centuries.
Family, Family Voices, Governance, Ownership
2024 Owners' Day: A New Era for the Global Family Enterprise Program
On October 1st, the Global Family Enterprise Program held its inaugural Owners' Day, a milestone event that brought together family enterprise leaders, students, alumni, and experts to explore the evolving role of ownership in today’s world. The event showcased the potential for family enterprises to not only drive economic success but to lead with values and create sustainable, positive change across industries, communities, and generations.
Family, Family Voices, Governance, Ownership
Think Bigger
Our spotlight is on the latest groundbreaking work by Sheena Iyengar, the esteemed inaugural S.T. Lee Professor of Business in the Management Division at Columbia Business School, and a renowned authority on choice and decision-making. Her book is a beacon of inspiration for us all.
Leadership and Strategy, Ownership, Research Findings, Strategy
Can you understand family-owned business without the emotions?
How do emotions impact decision-making in your family enterprise? Fabian Bernhard, Associate Professor of Management, EDHEC Business School, explains.
Ownership, Practitioner Perspectives
The Owner’s Journey
Entrepreneurship in the United States continues to be a major path to wealth creation for individuals and their families.
Family, Leadership, Ownership, Research Findings
Dynastic Control Without Ownership: Evidence from Post-War Japan
Dynastic-controlled firms are led by founding-family CEOs while the family owns an insignificant share of equity (defined as less than 5%).
Family, Governance, Ownership, Research Findings
Family Firms Do Last!
The claim that most family businesses fail in the third generation is refuted in this study by Thomas Zellwegger and colleagues.
Consulting, Ownership, Practitioner Perspectives
Do Most Family Businesses Really Fail by the Third Generation?
Most articles or speeches about family businesses start with some version of the “three-generation rule,” which suggests that most don’t survive beyond three generations.
Leadership, Ownership, Practitioner Perspectives, Research Findings
Sustainable Growth Drivers for Family Enterprises
In collaboration with the Columbia Global Center Nairobi, Kenya, Patricia M. Angus, Adjunct Professor and Managing Director, Global Family Enterprise Program, joined a panel of experts to explore how family businesses in Africa are evolving as sustainable growth drivers.