Was ist „Gesellschafterkompetenz“?

The WIFU Foundation’s publication WIFU_kompakt_06: What is „shareholder competence“? (2021) provides a concise yet in-depth overview of the requirements placed on shareholders of family businesses. The starting point is the tension between family, business and ownership, within which shareholders must balance differing interests, roles and responsibilities. Against this backdrop, the publication emphasises the need for clearly defined family business governance.

In the publication, shareholder competence is described as a bundle of abilities and skills that enable current and potential shareholders to fulfil their ownership functions responsibly. This includes both an understanding of business contexts and strategic issues, as well as the ability to deal with conflicts, control tasks, and new, previously unknown situations. It is made clear that specific competence requirements vary depending on the structure of the family business and across generations.

Furthermore, it explains how shareholder competence can be systematically developed. Shareholder competence development programmes are presented, which are often anchored within a family strategy or a so-called family academy. Using a clear step-by-step model, it demonstrates how different levels of competence correspond to different roles in company and family bodies. The publication is substantively based on the Practical Guide „Shareholder Competence in Family Businesses“ by Tom Rüsen and translates its key findings into a compact, practical format.