Family business education: a myth or a reality?

Many family businesses begin with an innovative idea. In order to remain viable in an environment characterised by uncertainty and change, organisations and individuals alike depend upon an ability to learn. This paper focuses on the emergence of Family Resource Centres and the educational programmes delivered to family businesses. The methodology adopted for this study was a (global) email questionnaire, consisting of a sample frame of 128. A total of 112 replies were received which gives a response rate of 87.5%. It is evident from the findings that family business management has evolved into a widely taught subject in many universities and business schools and it appears that the area as an academic discipline is expanding throughout the majority of developed economies. The paper proposes recommendations to academic institutions and management consultants on what services should be provided to family businesses.