Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Chapter 1. Introduction
Part 1. Family business in China: Present status Chapter 2-3]
Chapter 2. Status and characteristics of a Chinese family business 2.1 Overview2.2 Size, region, and industry 2.3 Organizational characteristics 2.4 Technology innovation, diversification, and internationalization2.5 Political connections 2.6 Public Impressions
Chapter 3. Economic influences of a Chinese family business 3.1 Economic contribution 3.2 Social contribution of a family business
Part 1 focuses on the current status of a family business in contemporary China. Three chapters are included in this part.
First, the basic status and features of a family business in China will be discussed (Chapter 2). Here, we follow Chua and colleagues (1999) in defining a family business by a family's involvement in a firm, which allows it to pursue family-centered goals and to utilize family-based resources in its strategic initiatives.
This part initially elaborates on the prevalence of Chinese family businesses, the characteristics and distribution of the "average" family business in China, as well as sizes, industries, regions, and organization of life stages. Note that we intend to focus on both small family firms that are likely to be home-based microenterprises and on large publicly-traded business groups that are frequently owned by business families. Also discussed are unique organizational characteristics that are associated with Chinese family firms, such as being entrepreneurial, having concentrated power in the hands of the family business owners, and extensive family and semi-family involvement in the business. Furthermore, we explain shared features of strategic actions among Chinese family firms that include technology innovations, diversification, and internationalization, as well as the political connections that Chinese family firms often have. Finally, we discuss the public's impressions of family businesses and business families, and the reasons behind positive and negative public images.
The second part focuses on the economic and social contributions by family businesses in China (Chapter 3). Here, we explain the contributions of a family business to the national economy, tax payments, employment, and growth in various industries. Also discussed are the "social" contributions provided by Chinese family firms (technology innovations, friendliness to the environment, financial donations, etc.).
Part 2. Challenges of the family and family business in China Chapter 4-6]Chapter 4. Family and family business in China's modernization 4.1 Modernization of the Chinese family 4.2 Modernization of Chinese family businesses 4.3 Characteristics of Chinese family businesses?
Chapter 5. Growth and succession 5.1 "Shirtsleeves-to-shirtsleeves" in three generations of a century-old business 5.2 "Pass-to -heir" or "Pass-to-capable" 5.3 Implementing a succession plan: What and how 5.4 Succession in a Chinese family business: Insights and recommendations
Chapter 6. Strategic management of a Chinese family business
Chapter 7. Governance structure of a Chinese family business 6.1 Governance in