Deudas comunes contraídas por uno solo de los cónyuges

Information provision as it is understood here refers to both, disseminating infor-

mation about family businesses (e.g., among governmental authorities or the

general public) and towards family businesses (e.g., about changes and develop- ments of the business environment).

While the latter is clearly interlinked with the above-mentioned education/training instru- ments, the information provision about family businesses can be equated to research (also see Chapter 5.1.4 for the main topics covered). In this context, of particular interest are research missions conducted cross-nationally and, consequently, resulting in comparable findings about the family business sector in different countries. By applying identical definitions for the standardised surveys realised in the covered countries it is safeguarded that the results are comparable across national borders. Such has, for example, been conducted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers in its Family Business Survey 2007/08 exploring the key areas of interest to family firms (definition number 92 in Table 1) such as the main challenges they face, succession planning, remuneration of the management or conflict resolution (PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP, 2007). The survey comprised more than 1,400 responses (20 minutes telephone interviews) of top managers of small and medium-sized family businesses in 28 countries50_{. Regular follow-up surveys are planned. Similarly, in 2007 FBN International} launched its Family Business Monitor surveying 1,350 family businesses (definition number 89 in Table 1) in 8 countries51_{. The research that is planned to be continued in} a bi-annual rhythm is supposed to be continuously expanded to additional countries (15 in 2009).

The Leadership in Family Business Research Initiative of the London Business School includes the development of a new theoretical framework for the study of family business which combines ideas from evolutionary biology, anthropology, family psychology, economics and organisational behaviour. It is argued that family firms have unique performance capabilities which are explained by features of the family system relating to structure, personality and culture.

50 _{Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland,} Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States

51

These attributes confer family firms with market advantage depending on leadership choices in the domains of governance, succession and ownership.

Interestingly, across Europe only one publication about family businesses stemming from the public central statistics office exists.

In 2008, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) of Ireland published “Family Business in Ireland - Services Sector 2005”. The objective of this publication was to present a comprehensive picture of the contribution of family businesses to the traded services sectors in Ireland. The information is sourced from the 2005 Annual Services Inquiry (ASI) covering the retail, wholesale, real estate, renting and business services and other selected services sectors. The publication compared the performance of family and non-family businesses for the key economic variables across a number of classifications - sectors, regions, size classes, legal forms of ownership and nationality of ownership.

Next to general research activities, however, some more “dissemination oriented” activities are carried out. So, for example, the publication of family business

specific economic journals contribute to channelling the latest results on family

business research.

As to this regard, FBN International in its pilot Family Business Monitor (FBN Inter- national, 2008) also mentions that family businesses are rarely dealt with in specifically devoted sections in generally accessible newspapers and that the existing family business specific journals are not accessible to a large readership.

Also interesting and indirectly beneficial for family businesses are initiatives bringing

together researchers for exchange of know-how and discussion about methodological

approaches, theoretical background considerations and empirical research findings. Such is realised by specialised conferences or researchers’ meetings.

The Finnish Family Firms Association (Fin Perheyritysten liitto ry) brings together the academic researchers in the field of family businesses and thereby increases the national collaboration among researchers. The annual two-day meeting includes both, keynote presentations from national and international distinguished academic researchers as well as representatives of policy makers and family businesses and presentations of research plans or studies of the Finnish business researchers.

IFERA organises the Annual Global Conference, comprising a one-day doctoral consortium, two days of presentations of final research papers geared for special journal issues and working papers as well as a Family Business Day, supported by local family business associations. It offers global networking to about 100 - 120 delegates from more than 25 countries.

Such networking activities can also bring together all types of stakeholders relevant for the family business sector, i.e., not only academia also politicians, public and private support service providers (including consultants/advisors) as well as family businesses themselves.

Overview of Family Business Relevant Issues - Final Report 91

Since 2005, the Scottish Family Business Association (SFBA) is engaging with six key stakeholders in Scotland: family businesses, political leaders from all parties, business support organisations, academia, the media and professional advisors, such as lawyers and accountants. Thereby, it conducts the following activities:

- Undertake a marketing programme to ensure that family businesses are aware of Good Practices

- Celebrate economic contribution and Good Practices of family business through media activity

- Build a database of all business families in Glasgow

- Build databases of professional advisors and relevant academia

- Ensure that a variety of material on all family business issues is available for, and distributed free of charge to, all business families in Glasgow

- Encourage advisors and current business support organisations to hold events related to family businesses

- Organise a regular local forum via Glasgow City Council for family businesses - Provide training packages which advisors and professional bodies can use with

staff, including Good Practice business models for all stages and types of family businesses

- Offer “SFBA” approved accreditation: Agree with, and work alongside, Glasgow’s universities to develop a “SFBA approved” course for advisors and meet umbrella organisations to promote the accreditation

- Work with universities and colleges to assist in developing education programmes for family businesses, members and advisors

- Provide grants for academic research to allow SFBA to benchmark the position of family businesses.