Generation to Generation

Preface

ONE OF KURT LEWIN’S most famous aphorisms is “There is nothing so practical as a good theory.” But that was only half of his message, and our experience writing this book also supports the other part, that nothing contributes more to good theory than practice. The four authors of this book all came to their focus on family business from academic backgrounds. All of us had been university based, conducting research and teaching undergraduate and graduate students. But each of us had also been drawn to the applied aspects of social science, so we were also consultants and field researchers. In our work with family businesses we found a great opportunity. This was a field drawing on the richest traditions of all the social and management ...