Conflicts in business families: How clear rules protect the successor!

Conflicts in business families: How clear rules protect the successor!

Prof. Dr. Arist von Schlippe ended his teaching position at the University of Witten/Herdecke today, July 28, 2025. After 20 years at the university, the renowned scientist, who switched from clinical psychology to research on entrepreneurial families in 2005, is saying goodbye. His transition was marked by a deep interest in the dynamic relationships within families, particularly when a child is seriously ill. These experiences led him to become increasingly concerned with the challenges in entrepreneurial families, where the company is often the central issue.

The concept of the “doubled family” was particularly influential in his research work. It describes the special challenge of balancing the emotional bond within a family with rational business decisions. This duality often leads to conflicts that cause many families to fail while others remain stable across generations. In this context, von Schlippe also conducted action research in projects such as “Family Strategy Across Generations” and “Big Families” in order to actively support entrepreneurial families. The projects focused on key questions about membership, participation and conflict management. The results are not universal solutions, but rather practical impulses.

Impulses for research and teaching

In teaching, von Schlippe has had a significant impact on the conflict seminar at the UW/H, which has been analyzing real conflicts and conducting role plays since 2008. In his seminars and research projects, he placed great emphasis on clear-sighted analyzes and structured handling of conflicts. The principles of his work show that family and business rules often clash in family businesses, which makes communication and interaction prone to conflict in phases of change. This fact is particularly crucial during the often complicated succession process.

In business families, the boundaries between family and business roles become blurred, which can lead to tensions. Children in these families often experience competition for parental attention, which results in ambivalent relationships with the company. The associated expectations can cause feelings of guilt among parents as well as conflict between generations. According to the IAP Institute for Applied Psychology, it is important to create clarity about needs and scenarios in the succession process in order to prevent such conflicts.

The farewell and the future

Despite his withdrawal from active teaching, von Schlippe would like to remain in contact with the university and offer advice. Today he says that he will miss everyday life at the university and the interactions with the students. His decades of research and teaching have not only revolutionized the understanding of entrepreneurial families, but also provided practical solutions to their challenges.

The insights he gained during his time at UW/H remain highly relevant. In the ever-changing landscape of business management, the principles he taught remain deeply relevant. As experiences from various areas show, including the key challenges that arise in modern family businesses, the contribution of Prof. Dr. Arist von Schlippe will continue to have an impact for a long time.

His work exemplifies the complexity and multifaceted challenges that entrepreneurial families face. By wisely managing their emotional bonds and business strategies, families can work together successfully. As the ZHAW Despite all the challenges, it remains clear that everyone involved in the succession planning process and in daily business must have open and transparent discussions in order to ensure long-term success.