Books | WIFU – Wittener Institut für Familienunternehmen

Sociology of the Business Family

The business family has hardly been a topic of family sociology so far. Precisely because more than two-thirds of all companies are family-run, it is surprising that sociology has not...

Debating Innovation: Perspectives and Paradoxes of an Idealized Concept

The book „Debating Innovation: Perspectives and Paradoxes of an Idealized Concept” provides a controversial yet important academic debate on the often idealised concept of innovation. Besides some general reflections on...

Family Firms and Business Families in Cross-Cultural Perspective

This book by Tobias Köllner provides an anthropological study of family businesses and business families. It systematically compares the connections between family, kinship and economic activity in different cultures. This...

Managing Business Family Dynasties

This book deals with dynastic business families. Such families are characterized by a circle of owners comprising more than 50 family members, which typically face specific issues and challenges for...

Theory and Practice of Business Families and Family Businesses

This book is a commemorative publication by Prof. Dr Arist von Schlippe in celebration of his 70th birthday in April 2021. As part of his work at the Witten Institute...

The Two Sides of the Business Family

This book focuses on a central success factor for family businesses: maintaining the decision-making ability over generations while avoiding jeopardising the business due to family conflicts, inefficient governance structures or...

The Modern Family Business

This provides real-world studies of the family in business by observing typical firms rather than dynasties. It looks at how the nature of the family business is changing in our...