Professor Alfredo De Massis gave a keynote speech at the European Academy of Management (EURAM) Family Business Research Special Interest Group conference 2016, held recently in Paris. Other keynote speakers were Kimberly Eddleston from Northeasten University and Joe Astrachan from Kennesaw State University.

Talks looked at topics such as: Internationalistion in Family business; Innovation in family business; Networks and family business; Formal governance in family business; and Family business in emerging, developing and transition economies.

One highlight was a roundtable discussion on Family Business Research in Europe, with Eddy Laveren, Anita Van Gills, Giovanna Campopiano and Massimo Bau.

Dr Allan Discua Cruz, from Lancaster’s Department of Entrepreneurship, Strategy and Innovation won the SIG Inspirational paper award for his study of a coffee farming family in a developing country, as well as being nominated for the best paper award at the academy level.

Professor De Massis was elected last year as the Chair of the Family Business Research SIG of EURAM. His input in the SIG has allowed the inclusion of several tracks that underscore the complexity and importance of family firms. Tracks dealing with contemporary and perennial issues such as succession, innovation, entrepreneurship and the relevance of context received a large number of submissions from all over the world.

Professor De Massis said: “A complete special interest group consortia (SIG) around family business research continues to see the influence of leadership by Lancaster scholars.

“The recognition of family firms at EURAM is encouraging as the European academic community looks to such organisational forms for inspiration on how to tackle diverse societal and economic challenges at the national and regional level. The influence that Lancaster scholars make in this fascinating field is going from strength to strength at EURAM.”