Master Courses

7.5 ECTS; graduate course—JIBS

This course deals with leading and developing family businesses -the most common type of organization in the world. The course addresses different organizational, strategic and governance aspects of this type of organization, including the roles of owners, family and nonfamily managers, advisors, board members, and employees in developing and renewing family businesses. We explore key issues related to the dynamics of different types of family businesses (e.g., small and large,and private and publicly listed), such as entrepreneurship, strategy development, culture, and succession and management. This course takes an international perspective on these issues. The course is specifically designed for those who are interested in working in (e.g., as an owner and/or manager) or with (e.g., as an advisor and consultant) family businesses. This course will be re-designed in 2021 addressing the specific needs of the Master Program in Global Management. The new syllabus was approved in 2019.

Examiner: Daniel Pittino (2023); Massimo Baù (2020-2022).

Read more about Family Business Development.

Family Entrepreneurship

7.5 ECTS; graduate course—JIBS

With the aim of strengthening the educational offer of JIBS at the master level, CeFEO has worked to propose the introduction of a second course, specifically designed for addressing the entrepreneurial dimension of family business. The course syllabus was approved by CUME during 2019 and the course will be offered as part of the Master Program in Strategic Entrepreneurship from Spring 2021. The course focuses on the role of family owners in developing and renewing family businesses. We explore key issues related to the entrepreneurial process of family owners and choices of entrepreneurial families. By discussing entrepreneurial entry and exit decisions we will explore the factors influencing the decision of initiating a family business, succession issues and portfolio decisions of entrepreneurial families. The course is specially designed for those who are interested in starting a family business, entering, acquiring or succeeding in it, more generally, the course will provide solid competences on how to establish business relations with family businesses, that are the most common type of organization in the world.
Examiner: Massimo Baù (2021-2023).

Read more about Family Entrepreneurship.

Family enterprise case competition

The annual Family Enterprise Case Competition (FECC) is organized every year at the Grossman School of Business, University of Vermont (USA), and prepares participants to understand the critical issues that are unique to family enterprise by applying the knowledge and expertise they have developed in the classroom to solving complex family business cases. During four tough rounds of competition, teams present their case to a distinguished panel of judges who will determine which group best understood, analyzed, and presented the case.

The FECC has received widespread acclaim and praise as one of the “most professional events” ever attended, and “the organization has been excellent and the collegial learning and networking opportunity extraordinary.” JIBS participated in the competition five times between 2013 and 2019, owing to the training and coaching provided by CeFEO members in preparation for and during the competitions.

Read more about family enterprise case competition External link, opens in new window., and here: The Complete Guide to Winning 1st Place in a Competition – 3 Times! External link, opens in new window.

Coach: Josh Hsueh (2023)

Team members and results are listed below: