Understanding Generational Succession challenges in German Family Businesses

Research Paper (postgraduate) from the year 2012 in the subject Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance, grade: 1,0, University of Edinburgh (Business School), course: Method of Research, language: English, abstract: Business succession is always a challenging time for any business, but generational change is often a critical factor in the success or demise of family-run businesses. During period of generational change, the company offers both the incumbent and the successor a great challenge. This sensitive issue thus has to be conducted with careful planning because it is one of the most critical phases in the life cycle of a company, with a lot of chances and risks linked to the process. Further successions are also complicated, with half of established family run companies successfully reaching the second generation stage, but only around three or four percent successfully mastering the handover to a third generation. The causes of these succession issues are varied, and the challenges they create will be investigated in this piece. As such, further research is needed in this area, including the specific succession challenges faced in German Family Businesses, and strategies to overcome them. The primary research question is: What are the key generational challenges faced by German Family Businesses, and to what extent do they create risks of failure for these businesses?

Alexander Schmithausen completed his studies after graduating in Economics and Business Administration in the Netherlands, Germany, South Korea and USA. In 2012, he received a master's degree from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. In addition, Schmithausen titled FInstAM, Fellow of the Institute of Administration Management Award. He received his PhD in Biostatistics at the LMU in Munich and attended the Columbia University in New York. He completed a management programme at the INSEAD Business School in France. As an assistant professor at the Ludwig Maximilian University, he teaches health economics and is a visiting researcher at the Max Planck Institute as well as a guest professor at the University of Cambridge. Mr. Schmithausen started his career in 2008 with an investment bank as a legal assistant. He has successfully managed the corporate development for several years as a project manager with the largest family-run hospital operator in Europe. Afterwards, in 2016, he took over as manager the heart cluster of one of the most renowned university hospitals in Europe. Currently, Mr. Schmithausen works as a consultant for an international strategy consulting in London and Munich Alexander Schmithausen hat nach seinem Abitur sein Studium der Volks- und Betriebswirtschaft in den Niederlanden, Deutschland, Südkorea und den USA absolviert. In 2012 hat er einen Masterabschluss der Universität Edinburgh in Schottland erhalten. Zudem wurde Schmithausen mit dem Titel FInstAM, Fellow des Institute of Administration Management ausgezeichnet. Zusätzlich erhielt er seinen Doktor in Biostatistik an der LMU in München und besuchte die Columbia University in New York. Ein Management Programm der INSEAD Business School absolvierte er mit Auszeichnung. Als Junior Professor an der Ludwig Maximilians Universität lehrt er zum Thema Gesundheitsökonomie und ist Gastforscher am Max-Planck Institut sowie als Gast Professor an der University of Cambridge. Herr Schmithausen startete seine Laufbahn im Jahr 2008 bei einer Investmentbank als juristischer Assistent. Mehrjährige Tätigkeit als Projektleiter der Unternehmensentwicklung für den größten familiengeführten Krankenhausbetreibers Europas hat er erfolgreich geleitet. Im Anschluss übernahm er im Jahr 2016 als Manager das Herzcluster eines der renommiertesten Universitätsklinika Europas. Zurzeit arbeitet Herr Schmithausen als Berater für eine internationale Strategie Beratung in London und München.