Family business peculiarities

Hello,

Let me introduce myself - I am Deimantė Špakauskaitė , master degree of student Kaunas University of Technology. This questionnaire is about to collect useful information for my research, which will be used for my final work of master degree „Family Business Peculiarity and Development Determining Factors“.

I know,  that Your time is valuable, but Your opinion is really important for me, so if you could dedicate 5 minutes to fill my questionnaire, I would be gratefull.

Rezultatai yra viešai prieinami

Legal form of Your Company

Which generation rules the company?

Your company is:

What is percentage of the ruling persons consists family members?

When approximately your business was established?

What the terms / features can define the family business, and how they should be specific each case, that business could be considered as a family business? ( 1 – no significance, 5 – important)

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Business is ruled by family
Decision-making power belongs to person who established company
Family members inter-relationship has inflence to business and decisions making
Family business – only small companies
Transfer from one generation to the next is typical for family business

Do you agree? In family business.... (1 – don‘t agree, 5 – totally agree)

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... greater focus on the future plans, lower interest for the immediate benefit
... pays special attention to the quality
... prevails close co-operation between the owner and staff
... family members identificate themselves with the company
... there is a small extension of operations
... the lack of professional management is often felt

There are challenges, mentioned in literature, that family business companies faced with – how much named challenges is specific to your company? Had you have faced them? ( 1 – not specific, 5 – very specific)

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The ability to attract employees who are not family members
The necessity to define guidelines and qualifications of staff
Fair salaries to the workers - family members, according to the work done
Sophisticated profit division among family members according to how much he contributed to the development of business
Strategic planning (family, business, succession planing)

A.Gimeno, G.Baulen, J. Coma-Cros investigated, that family business structure is the result of how family is thinking about their business, what allowed them to identify the different family business models, which are listed in the table below. In a brief description about each of them, please, consider how much your business is typical for each model. (1 – not typical, 5 – very typical)

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CAPTAIN MODEL (Characterized by the fact that all the action revolves around one person - usually the head of the family who dictates the procedure not only the family but also for business. Often is typcal for small business)
IMPERATOR MODEL (The model is based on one person or group of people management, activities of the company depends on the governing competence, style and values. In principle, similar to the master model, but it‘s more typical to larger companies)
FAMILY TEAM MODEL (Family live their business, not only manage it, but is also part of the workforce. Business and related needs - always in the first place, the family needs is secondary. Family effort = business success)
PROFESSIONAL FAMILY MODEL (Professionalism is like the driving force of this model - the company needs number should be as minimum as possible, that business management can be considered as successful. High level of competence and teamwork)
FAMILY CORPORATION MODEL(The essence of this model is that the family is the owner of the business and at the same time responsible for the development of competitiveness, although the frequent head of the company can be hired employee not a family member)
FAMILY INVESTMENT GROUP (This model embodies a view of the family business from a financial perspective. Family members trying to maintain the current economic value of the business, which has already been achieved and to expand as much as possible.)

What factors influenced you to start a family business? (Rate in 5 points system)

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The desire to be independent of the employers‘
The ability to combine work and career
The opportunity to work with relatives
Aim of profit and benefit
CEO of himself
Successor of family business
Education (chance to use specific knowledge and abilities)
Ambition to prove to myself that I can create a business
A wish to earn more
Successful friends / acquaintances experience in business
Family, friends and incentive / support
Business as the result of problem solution
Discovery of business niches
Self-fulfillment in business
A clear business idea
Aspiration of entrepreneur status in society
The desire to ensure the welfare of the family from generation to generation

Rate how much of the company employees consists family members.

Evaluate how specific to your company is the following positives family business features. (1 – not specific, 5 – very specific)

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Flexible policy allowing the company to adapt quickly to changing circumstances
Large CEOs of company responsibility approach to quality
In business strong family relationships of mutual understanding dominate
Family memebers successfuly identifies themselves with company
Employees (not family members) are often motivated to work more responsible
The possibility to impose a significant part of the profit for the development
Work besides working hours

Had you have a situations where personal conflicts directly influenced the business activities?

What the influence to the business family interests and wishes has?

In 5-point system, consider how strong in family business future planing You rely on... (1 – don‘t rely, 5 – strongly rely)

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...opinion of family members
... consultants and advisers
... analytical and statistical data
...intuition
... insights and competence of Yourself

You are planning your family business future. What is the most common scenarios of your business, when you‘re going out of business, in your opinion? (1- not common, 5 – the most common)

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To sell family business
To eliminate family business
To transfer the family business for the next generations
Transfer the family business to another CEO, but remain as a shareholder
I don‘t plan my family business future

Do you agree that listed factors are factors of successful family business development? (1 – don‘t agree, 5 – totally agree)

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Great leadership skills
CEO – Leader
Deep family business tradition, values
Manager's charisma
Good conditions to maintain business
Proper business leadership / development competence
Great marketing / sales strategy
The product that meets the needs of consumers
Knowlegde of market specifics
Competitive price
The ability to work with people (well-managed human resources)
Social skills
Entrepreneur / manager formed status in society (notoriety)
A wide network of contacts
A lot of hard work
Other (write in)

Rate how much, the following problems determine the negative performance of the company or even influenced to the business collapse? (1-not determine, 5 – strongly determine)

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Absence of Successor
Lack of Successor competence
Disagreements in the family
Absence of Transmission / Succession Plan
The capital shortage

In 5-point system, evaluate how much do you think the listed external factors affect the company's operations and business development. (1 – don‘t affect, 5 – strongly affect)

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Rivals
The situation on the labor market
The tax system
The economic situation in the country
Technology / Innovation
Suppliers / Customers
Legislation

Your sex?

Your age?

Your education?