Exciting Conference – 6th International Research Forum took place in Mannheim

More than 300 guests from science and practice created an interactive, stimulating platform for discussions, networking and social events contribute. Due to the current situation, the conference took place online.
In several virtual conference rooms, the participants obtained information on current research on family businesses. About 50 research papers were presented and over 10 representatives of peer-reviewed journals were resided to meet future autors.

Exciting discussion rounds with managing directors of hidden champions showed the strategies and attitudes of leading family businesses. Participants were Julia Eberhardt (LEEB GmbH), Christine Steger (Mann & Schröder Cosmetics), Alexandra Kohlmann (Rowe Mineralölwerk GmbH) and Fabian Kracht (Peri GmbH). On the academic side, Pramodita Sharma (University of Vermont), Christina Guenther (WHU-Otto-Beisheim School of Management), David Audretsch (Indiana University), Helmut Krcmar (Technical Universty of Muenchen) and Moderator Alfed Kieser (Universität Mannheim) discussed trends in family business research and future research fields. Social events rounded off the offer and were exited received by the participants.

The Best Inspirational Paper Award received Lech Suwala (TU Berlin) for the presentation of “Spatial Familiness and Family Spatialities – Searching for fertile ground between family business and regional studies”.  The Best Theory Papar Award went to Katharina Hombach (WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management) for her contritubion to “The Economics of Firms’ Public Disclosure: Theory and Evidence”. The EQUA Best Paper Award received Christine Scheef (Universität St- Gallen) for the artikel “Overlooked and undervalued: Predecessor CEOs as board chairs in family and nonfamily firms”. And last but not least Christina Günther (WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management) got the Best Reviewer Award. Congratulations everyone.