Teaching

Student interest in family business has been growing rapidly. From a half-credit course in 2006 – 07, a full pledged elective course is offered by Professor Ramachandran for the ISB students of the Post Graduate Programme (MBA).

Family businesses are unique in many ways, particularly in Asian countries. Their uniqueness arises primarily out of the dynamic overlap in roles of ownership, management and family responsibilities concentrated in some but not all the key people (see diagram below). For successful management of family businesses, it is important to understand this dynamics and respond to them constructively. This does not happen automatically. Among the several areas that require attention, two key areas of challenge in family businesses are professionalization of business, and developing and practicing family governance that includes succession, retirement, ownership and wealth management. How does one do it? Not easy? Consequently, break up of family businesses is often considered normal. Only a small percentage of family businesses survive and grow beyond second and third generations.

• Strategy, Leadership and Resource Management in Family Business, 2011 - 12
  (Full credit course)

• Strategy, Leadership and Resource Management in Family Business, 2010 - 11
  (Full credit course)

• Strategy, Leadership and Resource Management in Family Business, 2009 - 10
  (Full credit course)

• Indian Family Business - Challenges and Opportunities to Perpetuate, 2007 – 08
  (Half credit course)

Students of this course won the first prize at the “The Family Business Forum” organised by Barclays Wealth India in collaboration with web18’s moneycontrol.com. For more details about the competition please click here