First comprehensive anthology on Family Enterprise in Swedish

Three of the five editors are researchers at Jönköping International Business School (JIBS): Professors Ethel Brundin, Leif Melin and Mattias Nordqvist. The book was launched this week and it is the first of its kind in Sweden. 

A current research-based anthology in Swedish that provides an overall picture of the family businesses and family enterprise has long been lacking in the Swedish academic world. The anthology “Family Enterprises: business and feelings” (Familjeföretagande: affärer och känslor) is the first comprehensive book in Swedish on the subject and it portrays Swedish conditions while remaining anchored in international research. The book is a so called “Toft anthology”, as funding has been received from the Henry and Sylvia Toft foundation, which is a foundation that supports the furthering of knowledge on family enterprises.

Bonniers, Dafgårds, H&M, Indiska, IKEA, Löfbergs Lila, Polarbröd, Spendrups - are all family businesses, and most are also small and medium enterprises in the Swedish and international business world. Family business is by far the most common form of enterprise in Sweden and the world, they account for almost half of the private business contribution to GDP.

“The image of the family business is contradictory. One view is that the family business is a better work place, which offers more meaningful jobs and have better long-term financial performance. Another view is that the family business is conservative and sometimes also an arena of devastating family business conflicts, nepotism and emotional storms. Meanwhile, the family business sustainability and often strong foundation can create a strong competitive advantage, says Leif Melin, Professor of Strategy and Organization and Director of the Centre for Family Enterprise and Ownership (CeFEO) at JIBS.

The anthology was published at Studieförbundet Näringsliv och Samhälle (SNS). Editors of the anthology are: Professors Ethel Brundin, Leif Melin and Mattias Nordqvist, working at JIBS and CeFEO, and Anders W. Johansson and Bengt Johannisson from Linnaeus University. Several of the authors published in the book are also from Jönköping University, JIBS and CeFEO: Cecilia Bjursell, Börje Boers, Olof Brunninge, Lisa Bäckvall, Kajsa Haag, Annika Hall, Jenny Helin and Anders Melander.

Link to information about the book (in Swedish): http://www.sns.se/forlag/familjeforetagande-affarer-och-kanslor

Contact:
Ethel Brundin, ethel.brundin@jibs.hj.se
Leif Melin, mobile 070-885 64 46