Family Business Review in 2020: Focus on the Family

Abstract

It’s the year 2020 and I am confronted by the reality of our fast-paced modern world. On a daily basis, we see new breakthroughs in terms of infrastructure, systems, and technology that exceed even the most forwardthinking visionaries. As a scholar of business organizations, it is easy to get caught up in these advancements, and the speed with which they occur. Indeed, the issues of time, pace, innovation, and flexibility are among the most important issues for today’s businesses. Despite the many achievements of society and the increasing speed of technological advancements, we still have significant issues and persistent problems that are more “human” in nature. With this new year, and its futuristic-sounding designation, I am reminded that the most important matters in our lives, both personal and professional, revolve around people and the relationships we have with each other. And, relevant to our field, I would argue that the most central people in each of our lives are family members. So, despite the ever-changing, “fast pace of this modern age,” our focus should continue to be on the people and relationships with which we share our lives—most notably and more specifically—the family. Such a suggestion is, with regard to the many contributors to Family Business Review (FBR), somewhat moot because all of us, to a greater or lesser extent, believe that the family is an essential component of the global business economy and worthy of scholarly consideration. However, I believe we can collectively do more by focusing more on the human aspect of business relationships, both within and between families and businesses. Indeed, as I look both backward and forward with regard to FBR, I am convinced that our field is uniquely positioned to influence people’s lives for the better by specifically and intentionally shedding new light on family relationships—including intra-family and family to nonfamily, inside and outside of organization boundaries—and their intersection with business. With this editorial, I accomplish two things and hope to accomplish a third. First, in hindsight, I provide an overview of FBR for the past year (2019), which includes providing some key metrics that help convey where we stand currently. Second, in foresight, I provide some upcoming developments and initiatives that may be of interest to the readership. And, while I cannot see into the future, I am very optimistic about the direction in which FBR is heading. Finally, and I fear I cannot adequately state my feelings, I wish to convey my heartfelt appreciation to the many great people that have contributed to the ongoing success of FBR. It is you—the authors, reviewers, editors, and readers—that make FBR into something that extends beyond the journal into a community . . . into an extended family. It is in this spirit of deep appreciation that I wish to acknowledge the recent loss of Mike Wright, who served on the FBR Advisory Editorial Board. Mike was a long-term supporter of the journal and a personal friend and mentor to many in our field; he will be greatly missed.