Understanding Family Business brings you articles and tips from Family Business Experts who understand family values and business systems.

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Understanding Family Business

One of the most popular features of our web site is our initiative called Family Business Profiles.

When we started, we never thought it would create so much interest from family businesses. The idea of reporting about successful family business, rather than reporting about families that are self destructing and businesses breaking up because of family disputes, seems both unique and appealing to families in business together.

Our latest Family Business Profile is the first time we have recognized a family business from outside of the United States.

The ABANS GROUP is based in Sri Lanka, an island nation off the southern tip of India, formerly known as Ceylon. The Abans Group story is really one of hard work in a country laced with political turmoil - certainly not a family- business-friendly environment. Like many family businesses, the beginning years were hard scrabble years – but now the Abans Group has grown into a highly successful international business. Another aspect to consider is how the Abans Group has shared their success by creating many different philanthropic initiatives.

If you are a family business with an interesting family business success story (or a professional service provider to a family business) please take time to complete the information on the Family Business Profile page on our web site – your business could be the next business we recognize as part of the on-going Family Business Profile series.

I am always impressed with the many different ways family businesses contribute to the communities in which they are located. Air shows are one of the more popular community events that are sponsored by family-owned businesses. Last year, only NASCAR attracted more visitors to outdoor events than air shows.

The biggest air show in America is held in Oshkosh Wisconsin – yes, that’s right, Oshkosh Wisconsin. This year, the air show in Oshkosh starts July 24th and runs through the 30th of July. Put on by the Experimental Aircraft Association, the air show this year is expected to draw over 1,000,000 people, 10,000 aircraft, 2,500 aircraft and static displays, 800 exhibits and over 500 aviation and safety related forums. Family businesses are an important part of the general aviation community.

This year, through Air Show Advertising, I am helping to promote the Civil Air Patrol and will be at their exhibit at the Oshkosh air show. If you are planning to attend the air show at Oshkosh, please take time to stop by the Civil Air Patrol exhibit and say “Hi”!

We've recently added 2 articles.

Succession: three ways to ease the transition

The transition of ownership from one generation to the next can cause havoc in the family business and the family. Here are three ideas to help ensure success for your family business.

Pruning the family business tree

Pruning applies to family businesses as well as trees. Prune to ensure that only qualified family members are employed. And learn what non-employee family members can contribute.

Don't forget the new feature on our site that will become even more prevalent. Our Family Business Blog [Blog is short for "web log"] mini-journal will keep you updated about site changes and other family business matters. Check it out regularly on the site from the NavBar button. Better still, subscribe to the blog using the RSS feed information on any of our pages, such as

Understanding Family Business.

Our expert, Dr. Ken Mackenzie, identifies 29 Leadership Practices [LP] that are really the foundation upon which 12 holonomic or enabling processes[HP] are built, and which, in turn, produce 6 desired organizational characteristics [DOC]. We'll look at each in this section.

LP26. Ensuring Quality

Ensuring quality consists of processes to ensure that the organization's products/services meet the customers' quality standards. The organization actively supports its products/services to meet customers' needs; makes every effort to ensure that the customers properly use its products/services; avoids providing products/services that fail to meet customer requirements; works to eliminate and/or prevent situations in which Associates fail to meet the quality standards set for them; and finally, the organization seeks to improve the quality of its administrative task processes.

Take our fr*ee assessment on the 29 Leadership Practices...

That's it for this issue. If you have any comments, or if there are any topics you'd like to see covered, please let us know.

Comments, requested topics, blog messages...!