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Global Center for Family Enterprise

    Family
    Enterprise

    The Family as an
    Entrepreneurial Team

    Global Center for Family Enterprise (GCFE)

    The Global Center for Family Enterprise (GCFE) focuses on the interplay between the “family” and the “enterprise”. In particular, its unique research focus lies in creating a deeper understanding of topics related to strategy, innovation, transgenerational entrepreneurship as well as governance in family enterprises. It is of utmost importance for the GCFE to take an interdisciplinary research approach by incorporating diverse perspectives (e.g. psychological, sociological, economic and legal) to examine family enterprise behavior. The Center’s research is mostly evidence-based and its goal is to achieve academic excellence while researching highly relevant topics. It is also the Center’s mission not only to create but to disseminate knowledge.

    Transgenerational Entrepreneurship in Family Enterprises

    To explore the mechanisms at the family level that lead to longevity of business activity and ultimately to value creation across generations, the concept of transgenerational entrepreneurship has been introduced. Prior research has identified succession (i.e., the transfer of ownership and management) and firms’ innovative of crucial importance in ensuring family firms’ long-term survival and value creation. With regard to entrepreneurial behaviour in family firms, previous research has argued that family firms often struggle in retaining their entrepreneurial orientation across generations and that family members’ attachment to the business declines over time. In this vein, it is our aim within this research area to investigate the antecedents influencing entrepreneurial behaviour of family firms across generations.

    Succession in Family Enterprises

    Succession has been termed to be a critical event in a firm’s life cycle as many family firms fail to successfully hand over their business to the next generation. In fact, less than 10 % of all family firms manage to survive beyond the third generation. However, if planned carefully, succession can also serve as an opportunity for firm renewal as it determines the future organizational path for the coming years or even decades. Within research stream, we are interested in understanding better what factors encourage successful family-internal succession and how do elements of distribute justice play in.

    The Family as an Entrepreneurial Team

    Entrepreneurship research has increasingly shifted from an individualistic view of the entrepreneur to a focus on entrepreneurial teams, thereby emphasizing that the pursuance of entrepreneurial activities involves collective action. Entrepreneurial team members are often connected by strong social ties such as family ties resulting in the fact that the majority of firms around the globe are family enterprises. Research on new venture teams is still fragmented and has largely adopted a static perspective on team composition. In this research project, we investigate how power is allocated among team members, how employees can complement the entrepreneurial team and entrepreneurial team dynamics.

    News

    4th February 2021
    in the news: Prof. Bird talks about female Succession in Family businesses

    A newly published article in the magazine Hanix discusses the topic of “female” succession within German family businesses. As expert in the field of succession in family businesses, Prof. Dr. Miriam Bird talks in the interview about the phenomenon of “female successors”. Given the lack of successors for family businesses, those firms need to be open to also appoint female successors. Females from the family often incorporate higher levels family values, leadership qualities, traditions as well as diverse backgrounds than successors coming from outside the family. In short: family businesses need to recognize the potential of female family members to succeed across generations. The link to the article can be found here.

    16th December 2020
    New Article of Prof. Jung published

    Prof. Jung recently published the new article “European Legal Forms – Underlying Systematic and Principles”.
    The article examines the historical development of European legal forms such as the Societas Europaea (SE), their significance in practice, their effect on the competition between EU and national level and the regulatory techniques used to deal with the multi-level challenges.

    24th November 2020
    Global Center for Family Enterprise now on Linkedin

    From now on, we are also active on social media. On our LinkedIn page TUM Global Center for Family Enterprise, we will share more about our work and activities. You can find us here.

    17th November 2020
    Paper of Prof. bird is the winner of the ebs best paper award

    The paper “When the former CEO stays on board: The role of the predecessor’s board retention for product innovation in family firms” (Stephanie Querbach, Miriam Bird, Priscilla Sarai Kraft, and Nadine Kammerlander) won the EBS Best Paper Award which recognizes outstanding research articles with practical relevance in innovation, entrepreneurship and transformation.

    16th November 2020
    founders week in Heilbronn: Prof. Bird talks at startupcity x experts about entrepreneurial team formation

    During this year’s founders week, Prof. Bird was invited to talk at the StartupCity Meets Experts Event in Heilbronn. Talking to entrepreneurs, Prof. Bird explained how the ideal entrepreneurial team should be formed and which aspects should be considered in designing a successful team. The local newspaper Heilbronner Stimme summarized the main findings in the following article.

    27th october 2020
    in the news: Prof. Dr. Miriam Bird talks about the compatibility of family and career

    Managing career and family is the topic that Prof. Miriam Bird, and two other experts, are discussing this week in an article in the local newspaper “Heilbronner Stimme”. As professor and director of the Global Center for Family Enterprise, and even in the role of a young mother, Prof. Miriam Bird discusses the challenges and possible solutions for how females can handle this issue. The link to the article can be found here.

    Professors

    Prof. Dr. Miriam Bird
    Director Global Center for Family Enterprise (GCFE)
    Professor of Entrepreneurship and Family Enterprise

    Prof. Dr. Stefanie Jung
    Professor of Corporate Law

    Email: miriam.bird@tum.de

    Prof. Dr. Miriam Bird

    Email: stefanie.jung@tum.de

    Prof. Dr. Stefanie Jung

    Scientific Staff

    Who we are

    Bernadette Boehl

    Research Interests:

    • Corporate Law
    • Private International Law
    • Comparative Law
    • Contract Negotiations

     

    Professional experience:

    Since 03/2020 Articled clerk at Darmstadt Regional Court (Hessen)

     

    Academic career and education:

    • Since 09/2020 Research Associate at the Global Center for Family Enterprise, TUM School of Management, Technical University of Munich, Campus Heilbronn
    • 04/2013 – 06/2019 Law Studies at the University of Heidelberg; Degree: First State Examination in Law; Specialisation: Private International Law
    • 09/2015 – 02/2016 Semester abroad at the University of Bologna

     

    Email: bernadette.boehl@tum.de

    Melissa Dowse

    Research Interests:

    • European Business Law
    • European and German Competition Law
    • Contract Negotiations

     

    Published Articles:

    Melissa Dowse/Dr. Hermann Dück: Zwangseinwilligung zur Datenverarbeitung“ – zugleich Anmerkung zum Beschluss des OLG Düsseldorf in Sachen Facebook, NZKart 2020, pp. 80-82

     

    Presentations:

    Mannheim Centre for Competition and Innovation (MaCCI) Annual Conference 2020, with paper: “Competitive restraints in digital platform competition through the lense of the current authority practice in abuse control – a comparative appraisal”

     

    Teaching Experience:

    Exercise Introduction to Civil Law Winter Term 2019/2020

     

    Professional experience:

    • 08/2019 – 10/2018 Internship Law Firm Beiten Burkhardt Anwaltsgesellschaft mbH, Brussels
    • 07/2016 – 09/2016 Internship Legal Department Heinrich Georg Maschinenbau GmbH, Siegen

     

    Academic career and education:

    • Since 03/2020 Research Associate Professorship Corporate Law at the Global Center for Family Enterprise, TUM School of Management, Technical University of Munich, Campus Heilbronn
    • Since 04/2019 Doctoral Candidate Professorship for Civil Law, University of Siegen
    • 05/2019 – 02/2020 Research Associate Professorship for Corporate and Civil Law, Siegen
    • 10/2016 – 03/2019 Master of Law, University of Siegen
    • 04/2017 – 04/2019 Student Assistant Professorship for Corporate and Civil Law, Siegen
    • 11/2016 – 02/2017 Work Contract Translation Project, Siegen
    • 10/2013 – 09/2016 Bachelor of Law, German and European Business Law, University of Siegen

     

    Phone: +49 7131 264 18 859
    Email    : melissa.dowse@tum.de

    Daniel Ebsen

    Research Interests:

    • Family Entrepreneurship
    • Entrepreneurial Teams
    • Language and Personalities of Leaders

     

    Professional experience:

    • 12/2019 – 09/2020 Research Assistant at the Institute of Business Management and Organization, Technical University of Braunschweig
    • 10/2018 – 12/2019 Student Assistant at the Institute of Business Management and Organization, Technical University of Braunschweig

     

    Academic career and education:

    • Since 10/2020 Research Associate at the Global Center for Family Enterprise, TUM School of Management, Technical University of Munich, Campus Heilbronn
    • 04/2016 – 12/2019 Master of Science in Industrial Engineering, Technical University of Braunschweig
    • 10/2012 – 11/2015 Bachelor of Science in Business and Engineering, Clausthal University of Technology

     

    Phone: ‪+49 7131 264 18 862
    Email    : daniel.ebsen@tum.de

    Lina María Gélvez Álvarez

    Research Interests:

    • Economic Analysis of Law
    • Public Policy and Management
    • Legal Reasoning and Legal Methods
    • Contract Negotiations

     

    Teaching Experience:

    • 08/2018 – 06/2020 Logic and Legal Reasoning. Faculty of Law, Political and Social Sciences. Universidad Nacional de Colombia
    • 08/2018 – 06/2020 Legal Hermeneutics. Faculty of Law, Political and Social Sciences. Universidad Nacional de Colombia

     

    Professional experience:

    • 01/2017 – 04/2017 Legal Trainee Ciopora, Hamburg
    • 06/2015 – 09/2015 Legal Advisor in the Project “Strengthening Public Finances in Colombia”. Development Research Center, National Planning Department, Colombia
    • 04/2014 – 02/2015 Legal Trainee. Rincón Cuellar & Asociados, Colombia
    • 01/2014 – 04/2014 Internship. Cundinamarca Regional High Court, Colombia

     

    Academic career and education:

    • Since 09/2020 Research Associate at the Global Center for Family Enterprise, TUM School of Management, Technical University of Munich, Campus Heilbronn
    • 09/2018 – 06/2020 Research Assistant. Think Tank for Public Management, Colombia
    • 02/2013 – 05/2020 Bachelor of Science in Economics, Universidad Nacional de Colombia
    • 10/2016 – 04/2020 Master of Arts in Staatswissenschaften – Public Economics, Law and Politics. Leuphana University Lüneburg
    • 05/2014 – 06/2018 Research Assistant, FILDEREG Research Group, Colombia
    • 08/2015 – 08/2016 Research Assistant. Observatory of contemporary rural Problems, Colombia
    • 03/2015 – 09/2015 Research Assistant. PLEBIO, Colombia
    • 08/2009 – 03/2015 Bachelor in Law, Universidad Nacional de Colombia

     

    Phone: +49 7131 264 18 860
    Email    : lina.gelvez@tum.de

    Anne-Kathrin Haag

    Research Interests:

    • European Business Law
    • Corporate Law
    • Contract Negotiations

     

    Professional experience:

    • 10/2018 – 04/2019 Student Assistant at the Law Firm Mayer Brown LLP, Frankfurt/Main
    • 08/2018 – 10/2018 Internship at the Law Firm Beiten Burkhardt Anwaltsgesellschaft mbH, Brussels

     

    Academic career and education:

    • Since 10/2020 Research Associate at the Global Center for Family Enterprise, TUM School of Management, Technical University of Munich, Campus Heilbronn
    • 07/2019 – 07/2020 Student Assistant at the Professorship for Constitutional Law, Freiburg
    • 08/2016 – 08/2018 Student Assistant at the Professorship for Constitutional Law, Freiburg
    • 10/2015 – 07/2018 Law Studies at the French Law School of the University of Freiburg
    • 10/2015 – 06/2020 Law Studies at the University of Freiburg; Degree: First State Examination in Law; Specialisation: German, European and International Public Law

     

    Phone: ‪+49 7131 264 18 867
    Email    : anne-kathrin.haag@tum.de

    Sidney Hribersek

    Research Interests:

    • Crisis Management in Family Enterprises
    • Women in Leadership
    • Entrepreneurial Teams

     

    Publications:

    • Kordyaka, B., Laato, S., Jahn, K., Hribersek, S. (2020). Designing Community Identification – A Multi-Method Approach. 28th European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS 2020), Marrakesh, Morroco.
    • Kordyaka, B., Jahn, K., Hribersek, S., Klein, H., Niehaves, B. (2020). Two Faced Users? Exploring Motivational Taxonomies of Playful System. 26th Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS 2020), Salt Lake City, USA.
    • Kordyaka, B., Hribersek, S., Kruse, B., Niehaves, B. (2020). Understanding Brand Loyalty – The Case of the eSports Consumer from a Relationship Quality Perspective. 4th International Conference for Gamification Research (GamiFin 2020), Levi, Finnland.
    • Kordyaka, B., Klein, H., Jahn, K., Hribersek, S., Niehaves, B. (2020). A Matter of the Person or the Situation? Structuring Motivational Affordances of Gamification Elements. 4th International Conference for Gamification Research (GamiFin 2020), Levi, Finnland.
    • Kordyaka, B., Hribersek, S. (2019). Crafting Identity in League of Legends – Purchases as a Tool to Achieve Desired Impressions. In: Proceedings of the 52nd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICCS-52), Maui, Hawaii. ISBN: 978-0-9981331-2-6.

     

    Professional experience:

    • 01/2018 – 03/2020 Public Relations Assistant, Center for Responsible Innovation and Design, Siegen
    • 01/2017 – 04/2020 Human Resources Generalist and Head of Marketing & Communication, Stahlservice F. Hriberschek, Netphen
    • Since 2017 Member and since 2020 Fellow of Marketing Talents Program (University of Siegen), Siegen
    • 10/2016 – 02/2017 Management Consultancy Seminar in the Field of Personnel Marketing, Erndtebrücker Eisenwerk GmbH & Co. KG in Cooperation with Zukunftswerkstatt, Erndtebrück
    • 10/2013 – 12/2016 Human Resources Assistant and Commercial Clerk, Stahlservice F. Hriberschek, Netphen

     

    Academic career and education:

    • Since 08/2020 Research Associate at the Global Center for Family Enterprise, TUM School of Management, Technical University of Munich, Campus Heilbronn
    • 10/2017 – 03/2020 Master of Science in Managements and Markets, University of Siegen
    • 09/2017 – 06/2020 Student Assistant and Research Associate at the Chair of Information Systems, University of Siegen
    • 04/2017 – 11/2017 Interdisciplinary Research Project “Future Workspaces“, FoKoS Institute for Advanced Study
    • 10/2013 – 09/2017 Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, University of Siegen

     

    Phone: +49 7131 264 18 863
    Email    : sidney.hribersek@tum.de

    Maximilian Köhler

    Research Interests:

    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Digital Transformation
    • Innovation Management

     

    Professional experience:

    • 01/2019 – 11/2019 Student Research Assistant at the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL), RWTH Aachen University
    • 03/2018 – 07/2018 Product Consultant, Bringg Delivery Technologies Ltd., Tel-Aviv, Israel
    • 04/2017 – 09/2017 Intern, Knorr-Bremse AG, Hong Kong (SAR)
    • 12/2016 – 03/2017 Working Student, E.ON Energie Deutschland GmbH, Munich
    • 08/2016 – 09/2016 Intern, BMW Group, Munich
    • 08/2015 – 09/2015 Intern, Robert Bosch GmbH, Schwäbisch Gmünd
    • 02/2015 – 04/2015 Intern, Knorr-Bremse AG, Munich

     

    Academic career and education:

    • Since 12/2020 Research Associate at the Global Center for Family Enterprise, TUM School of Management, Technical University of Munich, Campus Heilbronn
    • 10/2019 – 05/2020 Visiting Research Scholar, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, US
    • 10/2018 – 09/2020 Master of Science in Management and Engineering, RWTH Aachen University
    • 07/2018 – 09/2018 Summer Term, University of California, Berkeley, US
    • 10/2015 – 02/2018 Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering with Business, Bavarian University of Applied Sciences and Management, Munich

     

    Phone: +49 7131 264 18 864
    Email    : maximilian.koehler@tum.de

    Linus Lange

    Research Interests:

    • Corporate Law
    • Competition Law
    • Contract Negotiations

     

    Professional experience:

    Since 04/2020 Articled Clerk at Heilbronn Regional Court, Heilbronn

     

    Academic career and education:

    • Since 06/2020 Research Associate at the Global Center for Family Enterprise, TUM School of Management, Technical University of Munich, Campus Heilbronn
    • 10/2014 – 01/2020 Law Studies, Degree: First State Examination in Law; University of Constance
    • 10/ 2016 – 02/2018 Special Studies in the field of Competition Law, University of Constance (Lake of Constance)

     

    Email: linus.lange@tum.de

    Jannis von Nitzsch

    Research Interests:

    • Heuristics and Biases in Entrepreneurial Decision Making
    • Entrepreneurial Teams
    • Networking

     

    Teaching Experience:

    Introduction to Entrepreneurship

     

    Professional experience:

    • 03/2019 – 05/2020 Strategy Consultant, Kampmann Management Consultants, Frankfurt
    • 07/2017 – 07/2018 Internship and Working Student, McKinsey & Company, Cologne
    • 08/2014 – 07/2017 Internship and Freelancer, Team Steffenhagen Consulting, Aachen
    • 03/2013 – 03/2014 Internship and Working Student, Pro Facts Assessment & Training, Herzogenrath

     

    Academic career and education:

    • Since 06/2020 Research Associate at the Global Center for Family Enterprise, TUM School of Management, Technical University of Munich, Campus Heilbronn
    • 01/2016 – 01/2017 Support of the launch of a Decision-Tool, RWTH Aachen
    • 10/2014 – 09/2018 Master of Science in Psychology, University of Cologne
    • 09/2012 – 03/2014 Student Assistant at the Chair of Social Psychology, University of Cologne
    • 10/2011 – 09/2014 Bachelor of Science in Psychology, University of Cologne

     

    Phone: +49 7131 264 18 861
    Email: jannis.nitzsch@tum.de

    Nikita Rolsing

    Research Interests:

    • Private International Law
    • EU Law
    • EU Business Law

     

    Professional experience:

    • 10/2018 – 10/2020 Legal clerkship at the Regional Court Offenburg with traineeships at the law firm Clifford Chance LLP in Düsseldorf and Audi AG in Neckarsulm
    • 03/2018 – 07/2018 Research Associate at the law firm Gleiss Lutz in Stuttgart
    • 11/2015 – 01/2016 Internship at the law firm BridghouseLaw LLP in Charlotte, NC, USA
    • 08/2015 – 10/2015 Internship at the law firm Hogan Lovells LLP in Munich
    • 09/2015 – 08/2016 Student Assistant at the Centre for European Policy, Freiburg

     

    Academic career and education:

    • Since 11/2020 Research Associate at the Global Center for Family Enterprise, TUM School of Management, Technical University of Munich, Campus Heilbronn
    • 10/2019 – 01/2020 Law Studies at the German University of Administrative Sciences Speyer
    • 12/2014 – 08/2015 Student Assistant at the Professorship for Foreign and International Private Law, Dept. 3, University of Freiburg
    • 01/2016 – 06/2016 Law Studies at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
    • 10/2012 – 01/2018 Law Studies at the University of Freiburg; Degree: First State Examination in Law; Specialization: European Private Law and Business Law

     

    Phone: +49 7131 264 18 868
    Email: nikita.rolsing@tum.de

    Lecturer

    Dr. Gerald Reger

    Lawyer, Certified Specialist in Tax Law
    Partner at Noerr LLP

    Email: gerald.reger@noerr.com

    Curriculum Vitae

    Supporting Staff

    Lena Vorsatz

    Team Assistant Human Resources
    Center Administration
    Phone: +49 7131 264 18 851
    Room: L330
    E-Mail: lena.vorsatz@tum.de

    Postadresse:
    Bildungscampus 9, 74076 Heilbronn

    Christine Sebastian

    Team Assistant Finance & Controlling
    Center Administration
    Phone: +49 7131 264 18 852
    Room: L330
    E-Mail: christine.sebastian@tum.de

    Postadresse:
    Bildungscampus 9, 74076 Heilbronn

    Kristina Brandt

    Team Assistant Procurement & Infrastructure
    Center Administration
    Phone: +49 7131 264 18 853
    Room: L330
    E-Mail: kristina.brandt@tum.de

    Postadresse:
    Bildungscampus 9, 74076 Heilbronn

    Research Talks

    research talks by external researchers

    On a regular basis, we invite internationally recognized researchers to present and discuss their newest research insights with our GCFE members. These research talks provide us with a unique opportunity to be at the verge of new research contributions. The research talks usually deal with topics related to entrepreneurship and family enterprise.

    Past Research Talks
    2020

    Dr. Johannes Kleinhempel (University of Manchester, Presidential Fellow at the Institute for PMO Comparative & International Business): Cultural Roots of Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Second-generation Immigrants. Research Talk on October 20, 2020 at the TUM Campus Heilbronn.

    Ed Saiedi (KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Industrial Economics and Management): Turned Down in a Downturn? Real Effects of Not Securing Capital in the Global Financial Crisis. Research Talk on October 16, 2020 at the TUM Campus Heilbronn.

    Teaching

    Project Studies

    Project studies can be either a research or a practical project carried out by a student team in collaboration with a company. The companies provide students with hands-on experience in the context of a specific project. A project study normally consists of teamwork of 2 to 5 students with a project duration between 3-6 months.

    Jobs

    Contact

    • Center Administration
    • Phone +49 7131 264 18 851
    • Room L 330
    • E-Mail office.gcfe@wi.tum.de
    • Postadresse

      Bildungscampus 9, 74076 Heilbronn