Explore the data
What do family businesses think about when they are looking to hand over the business? How are they going to achieve growth? What are their attitudes towards the government?
We interviewed 1,952 family business managers and owners in over 30 countries to find out.
The interviews were conducted in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Mexico, the Middle East (several countries), Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, the UK and the US.
Explore the data to see trends by country, across sectors and company size for each of the Survey's key themes:
How to read these charts: Select a view of the data using the module on the left. Hover over the data segments in each chart to reveal specific percentages.
- Eric Andrew
- Global Network Middle Market Leader
- Tel: +1 604 806 7500
- Oriana Pound
- Global Middle Market Director
- Tel: +44 (0)20 7804 8611
- Jillian Murphy
- Global Family Business Survey Project Manager
- Tel: +44 (0)20 7804 0774
Scale
Exports
Open / CloseBroadening horizons: Family businesses cautiously seek international growth opportunities
Country view
Open / CloseDiscover how family business export trends vary by country
Next 5 years
Open / CloseAre international sales on the rise over the next five years?
Challenges
Open / CloseFamily businesses share their biggest challenges for operating in an increasingly international environment
The next 5 years
- 0%
- 1 - 10%
- 11 - 20%
- 21 - 30%
- 31 - 40%
- 41% - 50%
- 50%+
- Don't know
- Singapore
- China/HK
- Taiwan
- Austria
- Italy
- Belgium
- Denmark
- Turkey
- Switzerland
- Germany
- South Korea
- Finland
- Greece
- India
- Sweden
- Ireland
- Malta
- France
- Romania
- Middle East
- South Africa
- Mexico
- UK
- Russia
- Brazil
- Canada
- USA
- Australia
- Understanding culture/ways to do business
- Competition
- Understanding/complying with local regs
- Exchange rate fluctuations
- Economic situation in other countries
- Staffing issues
- Understanding customers in local markets
- Containing costs
- Finding good local suppliers/partners
- Political situation in local markets
- Logistic/location issues
- Delivering high-quality production/service
- Language issues
- Impact of internet/technology
Succession
Passing on
Open / CloseFewer than half of all family businesses plan to pass business ownership and management on to next generation
Why not pass on?
Open / CloseAmong the key concerns of owners are the skills, aptitude and/or appetite of the next generation
New management
Open / CloseFamily businesses' reasons and concerns for bringing in external professional management when passing business on to next generation
Sell or float
Open / CloseFamily businesses discuss their reasons for keeping the business in the family, or selling it outright
Skills
Polarized views
Open / CloseHow do family businesses in different parts of the world differ in their approach to the talent challenge?
- Taiwan
- Switzerland
- Finland
- China/HK
- India
- Ireland
- Greece
- Germany
- Singapore
- Denmark
- Malta
- Mexico
- USA
- Australia
- Canada
- Belgium
- Sweden
- Turkey
- Austria
- Middle East
- South Korea
- France
- Italy
- Brazil
- Romania
- Russia
- UK
- South Africa
Family business and their attitude towards government
Country variation
Open / CloseViews on government and the value it places on family businesses varies hugely by country
Help
Open / CloseMany family businesses feel that the government could do more to help them in the current climate.
- Middle East
- Malta
- Switzerland
- Singapore
- Mexico
- Turkey
- Canada
- Austria
- India
- China/HK
- Sweden
- Germany
- Belgium
- Taiwan
- Brazil
- South Korea
- Ireland
- Denmark
- Australia
- Finland
- USA
- Italy
- South Africa
- UK
- Russia
- France
- Romania
- Greece
- Singapore
- Malta
- Turkey
- Middle East
- Canada
- Switzerland
- South Korea
- China/HK
- Mexico
- Austria
- India
- Sweden
- Germany
- Ireland
- Taiwan
- Belgium
- UK
- Brazil
- Finland
- Australia
- Denmark
- France
- Romania
- USA
- Italy
- South Africa
- Russia
- Greece