Example stakeholder management dissertation topic 5:

Sibling partnership: Strategies for managing different work patterns harmoniously

Sibling relationships can be difficult to manage within ordinary family structures; the added dynamics of a family-owned business can create intense relationships that are not always harmonious. This dissertation looks at successful sibling partnerships in several industries – an estate agency, a manufacturing company, and a nursing home – and determines the factors that build harmony. Secondary research is undertaken in the form of an extensive literature review, and primary research is done in the form of interviews conducted not only with both the siblings in the three partnerships mentioned but amongst employees tasked with following sometimes contradictory orders from siblings.

Suggested initial topic reading:

• Ensley, M. D. and Pearson, A. W. (2005) ‘An exploratory comparison of the behavioral dynamics of top management teams in family and nonfamily new ventures: Cohesion, conflict, potency, and consensus’. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Vol. 29, pp. 267-284.
• Lambrecht, J. and Lievens, J. (2008) ‘Pruning the family tree: An unexplored path to family business continuity and family harmony’, Family Business Review, Vol. 21(4), pp. 295-313.