The empirical study addresses long-lived family businesses with hybrid management and executive structures which include both family members and non-family executives. It intends to provide insight into the way active family business owners structure relationships to non-family executives in this form of family business. The investigation will also evaluate the concept of control that they have in relation to non-family executives. Therefore seventy-one active family business owners were interviewed. A significant finding is that this relationship is primarily based on trust and a shared set of objectives and values. The importance of control should not be underestimated; control is not immediately apparent in most cases, but rather is reflected indirectly through informal and generally unnoticed actions and behavioural patterns. A total of fifteen control mechanisms can be identified on the basis of the analysis.

Dr. Sven Cravotta ist Lehrbeauftragter an verschiedenen Hochschulen für betriebswirtschaftliche Themen und Dozent in der Weiterbildung bei Industrie- und Handelskammern. Zuvor war er über mehrere Jahre Marketingverantwortlicher eines mittelständischen industriellen Familienunternehmens.