Branch Organisations – A Matter of Type

The publication WIFU_compact_27: Branch Organisations – A Matter of Type (2023) provides a systematic overview of the various forms of branch organisations within entrepreneurial families and their significance for the interplay between the extended family, family branches and the business. It highlights that whilst formal membership of the family and the lineage is unambiguous, emotional identification can vary greatly and has a significant influence on behaviour amongst shareholders.

The focus is on a typological classification of family lineages based on the relative weighting of lineage identity versus overall family identity. A distinction is made between four ideal-typical forms – individualists, assimilists, biculturalists and separatists – each of which is associated with specific opportunities and risks for cooperation, conflict dynamics and decision-making capacity. The description of these types is not intended as an evaluation, but rather as an analytical tool to better understand intra-family dynamics.

In conclusion, so-called ‘internal boundary management’ is highlighted as a key success factor. It is demonstrated that entrepreneurial families must actively shape not only the boundary between family and business, but also the boundaries between the individual family branches. A conscious engagement with unifying and dividing aspects is described as the foundation for sustainable governance structures and long-term, functional co-operation. This issue is based on the Practical Guide: „Organising the Entrepreneurial Family into Clans“ by Jakob Ammer (2022), the findings of which have been adapted for this compact format.