MCI hosts family business conference

Bringing scientists and businesses together is one of the strategic goals of the Entrepreneurial School®. A successful example thereof is the renowned annual conference of the German-speaking Research Centers and Research Institutes for Family Businesses (FIFU DACHLi) recently hosted by the MCI Family Business Center. FIFU DACHLi is one of the leading European research groups specializing in this field. Numerous professors and young researchers from renowned organizations such as the Witten Institute for Family Business, the Research Institute for Family Business (WU Vienna University of Economics and Business), and the Institute for Entrepreneurship, SMEs and Family Businesses (Berlin School of Economics) participated in the two-day conference. Current research projects were presented, and various theoretical and practical questions relating to family businesses were discussed.

Bernhard Baumgartner, scientific advisor of the Family Business Center, opened the conference with a much-acclaimed talk on digitalization and the new economy, which are particularly challenging issues for family businesses. His talk was followed by several parallel rounds of speeches, discussions and presentations on a range of topics. There was also a special Ph.D. research panel for young researchers to present their research projects.

To facilitate an active exchange between theory and practice, researchers were interviewed by successful entrepreneurs in a panel discussion. The focus was on how family businesses can close the gap between tradition and innovation by developing specific strategies. Felicitas Kohler (Planlicht), Martin Wetscher (Wetscher GmbH) and Wolfgang Sief (SIKO GmbH) were the entrepreneurs on the panel.

The FIFU DACHLi Conference fosters a scientific exchange on current developments in the field. It promotes a discussion of relevant theoretical and practical issues relating to family businesses. The conference is attended by family business researchers, young scientists, and practitioners with a scientific interest.

Anita Zehrer, head of the MCI Family Business Center and organizer of the conference, recaps: “It has been a great honor for the MCI Family Business Center to host the FIFU DACHLi Conference. I am pleased that we have been able to blend the scientific discourse with an in-depth dialog with businesses managers. I find it quite fascinating that through this exchange with practitioners, new research topics on the future of family businesses have emerged. Some of them have already been included in the agenda of the MCI Family Business Center.”

MCI thanks all the sponsors of the conference for their support: Tirol Werbung, Innsbruck Tourismus, Swarovski, Nordkettenbahnen and TVB Stubaital.