CeFEO is founding member of European Family Business Centers (EuFBC) network, formed by the 16 largest research centers conducting research in the field of family business in Europe, and located in seven different countries. As part of this initiative we aim at developing opportunity for discussion, collaboration and exchange among some of the leading scholars in the field. EuFBC represents a unique opportunity for structuring a solid European research network.

Ifera partnership

EuFBC organizes a seminar series aiming at offering a common platform for scholars across the continent to present and debate state-of-art academic research on family business, business families, and family entrepreneurship.

While the presented research papers are already of a high-quality level, we aim to facilitate a trust-based yet constructively critical environment through which the potential of individual papers, and as such of European Family Business research at large, should improve even further.

Seminars are scheduled every other Wednesday at lunchtime (12:00-13:00 CET; 11:00-12:00 GMT). They are hosted online and are open to presenters and audience members working in- and outside the co-hosting institutions.

For more information, visit the website: https://www.eufbc.org 


 

List of Seminars

  • EUFBC Seminar #32: ‘Effective business model adaptations in family SMEs to react to the COVID-19 crisis.’ Presented by: Sofia Brunelli (FABULA | FAmily BUsiness LAb – Università Cattaneo | LIUC). (19-01-2022).
  • EUFBC Seminar #33: ‘Private Equity And Family Firms Barbarians On The Yard: A Vignette Study.’ Presented by: Christopher Khoury (Institute of Family Business and Mittelstand –– WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management). (02-02-2022).
  • EUFBC Seminar #34: ‘Share Pledge and Corporate Risk-Taking in Family Firms.’ Presented by: Francesco Chirico (Centre for Family Entrepreneurship and Ownership; Jönköping International Business School). (16-02-2022).
  • EUFBC Seminar #35: ‘The Olivetti Style: An entrepreneurial family’s aesthetic legacy.’ Presented by: Peter Trümmel (Centre for Family Business Management; Free University of Bozen-Bolzano). (02-03-2022).
  • EUFBC Seminar #11: ‘M&A in family business: Target scope, integration, and performance.' Presented by: Christian Kruckenhauser (Centre for Family Business, Lancaster University Management School). (13-01-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #12: ‘Making a difference: Management practices in owner-managed companies.' Presented by: Tobias Palm (Center for Family Business | CFB-HSG – St. Gallen University). (27-01-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #13: ‘Values-based internationalization. Evidence from a global family firm.' Presented by: Margré van Dalfsen (Dutch Centre of Expertise in Family Business, Windesheim University of Applied Sciences). (10-02-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #14: ‘Pattern along CEO tenure. The case of family firms performance.' Presented by: Lior Adam (Raya Strauss Center for Family Firm Research, Tel Aviv University). (24-02-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #15: ‘Family ownership and the labor productivity puzzle.' Presented by: Wim Voordeckers (Research Center for Entrepreneurship and Family Firms (RCEF) –– Hasselt University). (10-03-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #16: ‘Knowledge management in family business succession: Current trends and future directions.' Presented by: Bingbing Ge (Centre for Family Business, Lancaster University Management School). (24-03-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #17: ‘Strategy disclosure and cost of capital. The role of family firm status and women directors.' Presented by: Rafaela Gjergji (FABULA | FAmily BUsiness LAb – Università Cattaneo | LIUC). (07-04-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #18: ‘Family Agents.' Presented by: Valentino D’Angelo (AIDAF-EY Chair in Strategic Management in Family Business in memory of Alberto Falck | Bocconi University). (21-04-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #19: ‘Identified and creative? Towards a conceptual model of non-family employees’ pride in family business.' Presented by: Rania Labaki (EDHEC Family Business Research Centre; EDHEC Business School). (05-05-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #20: ‘Family firms and M&A performance: A meta-analysis.' Presented by: Marina Palm (Friedrichshafener Institut für Familienunternehmen; Zeppelin University). (19-05-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #21: ‘Analyzing the intellectual structure of research on family business, 2010-2020: a bibliometric analysis of JFBS.' Presented by: Issam Mejri (Entrepreneurship & Family Business Center; Ipag University). (02-06-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #22: ‘Non-transparent yet credible? The role of family owners on sustainability reporting.' Presented by: Josh Wei-Jun Hsueh (Center for Family Business | CFB-HSG – St. Gallen University). (16-06-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #23: ‘Extending organizational path dependency theory by a family business perspective.' Presented by: Julia K. de Groote (Institute of Family Business and Mittelstand – WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management). (30-06-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #24: ‘We, a family firm. An integrated perspective on the drivers and impediments for the expression of the family firm identity.' Presented by: Albertha Wielsma (Dutch Centre of Expertise in Family Business, Windesheim University of Applied Sciences). (01-09-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #25: ‘Succession in family firms: the offspring’s gender perspective.' Presented by: Mohamed Genedy (Centre for Family Enterpreneurship and Ownership; Jönköping International Business School). (15-09-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #26: ‘Family social capital and the goldilocks zone: not too hot but not too cold. Presented by: Samuel Appleton (Centre for Family Business Management; Free Univerisity of Bozen-Bolzano). (29-09-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #27: ‘All my firms? Managing SEW affective endowments in business family portfolios.' Presented by: Nava Michael Tsabari (Raya Strauss Center for Family Firm Research, Tel Aviv University). (13-10-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #28: ‘Microfoundational explanation: a complementary model for entrepreneurship in family business'. Presented by: Mara Brumana (Center for Young and Family Enterprise; University of Bergamo). (27-10-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #29: ‘Understanding family ties in new venture teams and new venture growth.' Presented by: Frederik Riar (Department of Management and Entrepreneurship; University of Bern). (10-11-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #30: ‘Prosocial Religion As A Resource: A Source Of Competitive Advantage For Family Firms.' Presented by: Allan Discua Cruz (Centre for Family Business, Lancaster University Management School). (24-11-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #31: ‘Trapped In A “Golden Cage”! The Legitimation Of Women Leadership In Family Business.' Presented by: Stefania Masè and Elisa Conti (Entrepreneurship & Family Business Center; Ipag University). (08-12-2021).
  • EUFBC Seminar #01: 'Financial intermingling in successor-owned family firms: the impact of leveraged equity stakes on firm-level financial debt'. Presented by: Ellen Janssen (Center for Entrepreneurship and Family Firms RCEF, Hasselt University). (2020-06-17).
  • EUFBC Seminar #02: 'Understanding heterogeneity of family firm internationalization: a multi case study'.
    Presented by: Moritz Feninger (Institute of Family Business and Mittelstand, WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management). (2020-07-01).
  • EUFBC Seminar #03: 'How Social and Economic Norms Drive Our Behavior and Decision Making Over time? The Natural Experiment of the Family Business'. Presented by: Rania Labaki (EDHEC Family Business Research Centre, EDHEC Business School). (2020-09-02).
  • EUFBC Seminar #04: 'It’s a match! External Top Management Team Member in Family Firms'. Presented by: Sabrina Schell (University of Bern). (2020-09-16).
  • EUFBC Seminar #05: 'Tough on the outside, soft on the inside the perception of signalling the family firm status in a consulting context'. Presented by: Natalie Rauschendorfer (Friedrichshafen Institute for Family Entrepreneurship FIF, Zeppelin University in Germany). (2020-09-30).
  • EUFBC Seminar #06: 'Family-employability or Non-family-employability? The Role of Birth Order and Family Structure on Career Choices'. Presented by: Mohamed Genedy (Centre for Family Entrepreneurship and Ownership CeFEO, Jönköping International Business School). (2020-10-14).
  • EUFBC Seminar #07: 'Prevalence And Predictors Of P-Hacking In Family Business Research'. Presented by: Jasper Brinkerink (Centre for Family Business Management, University of Bolzano). (2020-10-28).
  • EUFBC Seminar #08: 'Work-Family Initiatives And Innovation In Family And Non-Family Smes'. Presented by: Katerina Vasilevska (Center for Young and Family Enterprise CYFE, University of Bergamo). (2020-11-11).
  • EUFBC Seminar #09: 'Being Innovative And Talking About It: Innovation Signalling In M&A Announcements Of Family Firms'. Presented by: Alexander Fries (Institute of Family Business and Mittelstand, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management). (2020-11-25).
  • EUFBC Seminar #10: 'International Opportunity development by family firms in emerging markets'. Presented by: Issam Mejri (Entrepreneurship & Family Business Center, IPAG University). (2020-12-09).

EuFBC Members

The Following Centers are part of EuFBC (in alphabetic order): 

  • AIDAF-EY Chair in Strategic Management in Family Business in memory of Alberto Falck
  • The AIDAF-EY Chair in Strategic Management of Family Business in memory of Alberto Falck was established in 2004 by Bocconi University with the aim to spread the consciousness about the importance of Family Business in the most developed economies and in the academic system as a leading research field. The idea to promote a chair focused on Family Business at Bocconi University emerged from the study of the characteristics of the Italian entrepreneurial system, mainly composed of family-owned, small-medium companies.
  • Location: Italy
  • Chair: Guido Corbetta
  • Website: link


  • EDHEC Family Business Research Centre
  • The mission of the EDHEC Family Business Research Centre is to inspire and support family businesses and their stakeholders in sustaining the long-term entrepreneurial model across generations through research, education and events. Building on the expertise of a multidisciplinary team, it offers a holistic approach of the family business embracing the financial and socio-emotional dimensions in regards with succession, financial decisions, social impact and family entrepreneurship.
  • Location: France
  • Director: Rania Labaki
  • Website: link


  • Entrepreneurship & Family Firm Institute | EFFI
  • The Entrepreneurship & Family Firm Institute (EFFI) is a research-driven institute at the interface between science, business practice, and education. EFFI creates new and meaningful knowledge on transformation, responsible ownership, and new work, and fosters competencies that enable entrepreneurs, family owners and students to successfully master the challenges of tomorrow’s working world.
  • Location: Germany
  • Director: Matthias Waldkirch
  • Website: link

 

  • Centre for Family Business Management
  • The Centre for Family Business Management is based in the Faculty of Economics and Management of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano and is a reference point, both locally and internationally, for research, education and knowledge transfer activities in the field of family business.
  • Location: Bolzano, Italy
  • Director: Alfredo De Massis
  • Website: link


  • Research Center for Entrepreneurship and Family Firms | RCEF
  • The Research Center for Entrepreneurship and Family Firms at Hasselt University (RCEF) is an interdisciplinary group of experts passionate about family firms and entrepreneurship. The mission of the center is to create societal value through relevant and rigorous academic research, education, and high-quality services to business firms and organizations.
  • Location: Hasselt, Belgium
  • Director: Wim Voordeckers & Nadine Lybaert
  • Website: link


  • IE Center for Families in Business
  • The aim of the IE Center for Families in is to contribute to the development and impact of families in business. We help families in business and their interest groups understand the environment through reputable training resources, think with the support of research based on excellence and act to create positive connections and make decisions. Our priority is to develop and disseminate the distinguishing characteristics of the families in business, placing value on their contribution to society.
  • Location: Madrid, Spain
  • Director: Cristina Cruz
  • Website: link


  • Entrepreneurship and Family Business Center
  • Reference for research, teaching and practice-transfer in the field of entrepreneurship and family business, the IPAG Entrepreneurship & Family Business Center involves academics from around the world, start-ups, family business owners and managers, as well as students. To achieve academic excellence, we promote the development of multidisciplinary and multicultural research by providing a framework for collaboration and networking among various actors at an international level and promoting several European projects.
  • Location: Nice, France
  • Director: Andrea Calabrò
  • Website: link

 

  • Centre for Family Entrepreneurship and Ownership | CeFEO
  • Founded in 2005, the Centre for Family Entrepreneurship and Ownership (CeFEO) at Jönköping International Business School is a world leading research centre in the field of family business and ownership. More than 50 researchers exploring family business topics, produce academic research, commissioned research, practitioner-oriented books, as well as seminars and training courses for practitioners across Sweden. Every year, CeFEO organizes in collaboration with a partner university the EIASM Workshop on Family Firm Management Research.
  • Location: Jönköping, Sweden
  • Director: Massimo Baù
  • Website: link


  • Raya Strauss Center for Family Firm Research
  • The Centre for Family Business at Lancaster University Management School is an active community of international scholars and family businesses developing global resources to bring new and meaningful insights to advance the business practice of small and medium-sized family firms.
  • Location: Tel Aviv, Israel
  • Director: Nava Michael-Tsabari and Dan Weiss
  • Website: link


  • Centre for Family Business
  • The Centre for Family Business at Lancaster University Management School is an active community of international scholars and family businesses developing global resources to bring new and meaningful insights to advance the business practice of small and medium-sized family firms.
  • Location: Lancaster, UK
  • Director: Giovanna Campopiano
  • Website: link


  • Family Business Lab – FABULA
  • FABULA (FAmily BUsiness LAb) is a research center of Università Cattaneo – LIUC, a private business school located in Castellanza, near Milan. Founded in 2020, FABULA is dedicated to research, education and knowledge dissemination in the field of family business, with a focus on the youngest family members. It inspires and supports Italian family businesses with the rigor and the expertise of a multidisciplinary academic team.
  • Location: Castellanza, Italy
  • Co-Directors: Salvatore Sciascia and Valentina Lazzarotti 
  • Website: link


  • Center for Young and Family Enterprise | CYFE
  • The Center for Young and Family Enterprise (CYFE) at the University of Bergamo is a multidisciplinary research center focused on entrepreneurship and family business. The center explores and fosters entrepreneurial culture at individual, organizational, and societal level.
  • Location: Bergamo, Italy
  • Director: Tommaso Minola
  • Website: link


  • IMU-U and IOP-P
  • Several scholars conduct Family Business research at the University of Bern at the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (IMU-U) and the Institute for Organization and Personnel (IOP-P). Research is done from multiple theoretical and empirical perspectives, with a strong link between academic research and practice.
  • Location: Bern, Switzerland
  • Contact persons: Andreas Hack & Philipp Sieger
  • Website: IMU-U & IOP-P

 

  • Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IFM) | Interdisciplinary Research Group “Family Firms”
  • The interdisciplinary research group “Family Firms” of the University of Mannheim is dedicated to independent family firm research since over 30 years. We are internationally visible experts from the areas Organization, Sociology, Psychology, Information Systems and Entrepreneurship. We bring in our expertise in international academic research, in research projects on EU-, country, or state level, as well as in academic teaching and knowledge transfer events for family entrepreneurs and practitioners.
  • Location: Mannheim, Germany
  • Director: Michael Woywode
  • Group Leader: Jan-Philipp Ahrens
  • Website: link


  • Institute of Family Business and Mittelstand
  • The Institute of Family Business and Mittelstand at WHU (ifbm@WHU) is located at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management in Vallendar, Germany, one of Europe’s leading business schools. With a team of dedicated academics and practitioners, we aim to advance our understanding of innovation, leadership and employee satisfaction, succession, inertia, business ethics and financing of family firms as well as family offices. But creating new insights is not enough. We also strive to discuss, transfer, and extend those insights in discussions with practitioners.
  • Location: Vallendar, Germany
  • Director: Nadine Kammerlander
  • Website: link


  • Institute of Family Business and Mittelstand
  • The Dutch Centre of Expertise in Family Business is an initiative and part of Windesheim University of Applied Sciences. Our mission is to conduct high-quality practice-oriented research and disseminate knowledge on strategic issues that keep family firms busy. We directly engage with practitioners and maintain long-term relationships with family firms in various sectors to make sure that we work on relevant topics.
  • Location: Windesheim, The Netherlands
  • Director: Ilse Matser
  • Website:link


  • FIF@ZU | Friedrichshafen Institute for Family Entrepreneurship
  • FIF@Zeppelin University was founded in 2009. Since then our primarily empirical research (by the way: we love experimental designs) centers around a range of questions in the family firm context, for example the perception and reputational effects of the family nature of the firm by different stakeholder groups, innovation and entrepreneurship in family firms, or the perspective of the next generation on different aspects of career development.
  • Location: Friedrichshafen, Germany
  • Director: Reinhard Prügl
  • Website: link