Team Family business

The interdisciplinary Family Business Research Group at the University of Mannheim has been dedicated to independent family business research for over 30 years. We combine internationally visible expertise from the fields of organisation, sociology, psychology, information systems and entrepreneurship. We contribute our expertise in international research, in an advisory capacity at EU, federal and state ministerial level, in university teaching and in knowledge and transfer events for family entrepreneurs and practitioners.

Research Focus

Succession
  • Family CEO Successors
  • Transgenerational orientation 
  • Family dynamics
Corporate management
  • Strategy development and leadership
  • CEO attributes and biases
  • Ownership structures
  • Leadership and governance
Success factors
  • Post-succession performance
  • Innovation & Development
  • Crisis management 
  • Corporate change 

News from the department

Benchmark family firms

With the support of KPMG and ifm-Förderkreis, ifm Mannheim analyzed the importance and economic strength of family businesses in eleven metropolitan regions in Germany.

Salary index for family businesses

Gabriela Jäcker GmbH and ifm Mannheim survey managers in family businesses

TOP 500 family businesses in Germany

Since 2007, the 500 family businesses with the highest number of employees and turnover and their turnover and employee figures have been regularly determined for a period of 10 years, thus documenting their overall economic significance.


Contact person

Prof. Dr. habil. Jan-Philipp Ahrens

Prof. Dr. Jan-Philipp Ahrens

Head of the Interdisciplinary Research Group Family Firms & Interim Professor
Transferbeauftragte
University of Mannheim
Chair of SME Research and Entrepreneurship
Schloss, EO 281 – Room EO 281
68161 Mannheim