Treuhändermentalität in dynastischen Unternehmerfamilien

In the book *A Fiduciary Mindset in Dynastic Entrepreneurial Families – The Social Construction of a Wealth-Strategic Attitude as a Social Practice* (2023), Fabian Friedrich Arthur Simons examines how large, multigenerational entrepreneurial families socially construct and stabilise a fiduciary attitude towards their family wealth. The starting point is the observation that, in dynastic entrepreneurial families with rapidly expanding shareholder bases, long-term commitment to company shares cannot be taken for granted, but must be actively fostered culturally, emotionally and organisationally. The work is based on an abridged version of a doctoral thesis written at the Witten Institute for Family Business (WIFU).

In theoretical terms, Simons identifies the fiduciary mindset as a moral discourse and systematically links it to concepts of family business governance, the dynastic entrepreneurial family (Entrepreneurial Family 3.0) and the ‘doing family’ approach in family sociology. The fiduciary mindset is understood here not as a legal category, but as a socially constructed attitude that motivates shareholders to view company shares not primarily as a financial investment, but as a transgenerational responsibility. The author demonstrates how this attitude is underpinned by narratives, norms, expectations and governance structures.

Empirically, the study draws on qualitative data from the WIFU research project „Big Family Management“ and analyses seven large German entrepreneurial families. Using qualitative content analysis, four key practices through which the trustee mentality is manifested are identified: familial, emotional, personnel-related and financial practices. The findings provide both a theoretical contribution to research on entrepreneurial families and practical insights for the development of family strategy, wealth management strategy and shareholder engagement within dynastic family structures.

Published in 2023 as Volume 33 of the series „Schriften zu Familienunternehmen“, edited by Tom A. Rüsen, Heiko Kleve and Arist von Schlippe, by V&R unipress.