Soumaya El Hayek (Sfeir)

Composition of the Jury

Abstract

This dissertation aims to examine the relationship between the composition of the board of directors in medium-sized family businesses and succession. The characteristics of family businesses give rise to unique conditions for their governance mechanisms. Indeed, the governance systems of family businesses are strongly influenced by the specific relationship between the family and the business, which can lead to different board configurations and roles. However, the objective of this dissertation is to uncover the secrets of the individuals who shape the governance of the family business. These individuals will make decisions and interact within the family business’s governing body. Our intended contribution is to demonstrate the importance of people and their characteristics at the heart of the family business. To achieve this objective, this dissertation explores various aspects of the human characteristics of board members across four articles and one chapter and posits that these characteristics influence the selection of a successor throughout the succession process. Our model encompasses the composition of the board of directors, which includes the demographic (age, gender, and nationality) and cognitive (educational background, professional and personal experiences) diversity of directors, as well as the emotions and outcomes of this composition—such as the roles directors play within the board and the succession process.Regarding methodology, we chose a case study approach as part of exploratory qualitative research. However, this dissertation employs different approaches, as these were determined by the research question of each article. In conclusion, this thesis explored the board of directors of a family business to deepen our understanding of how this board functions and its influence on the selection of a successor. To achieve our objectives, we chose to delve into the specific characteristics of the individuals comprising the board of directors in order to explore who they are and to understand how these characteristics influence their actions, particularly with regard to the succession process.

Read the thesis