Family Business Dynamics, MGMT 335

Family Business Dynamics is devoted to the study of the unique issues faced by family owned and operated businesses. The objective of this course is to develop students into being able to take an informed decision about whether to join their own family business or work for one and if they choose to, then how to tackle those issues. Course students take a deeper look at (1) how family businesses are different from non-family businesses, (2) how can we better understand three elements (viz. family, business, ownership) and their interaction in family businesses, (3) what unique powers do family businesses have, and (4) what challenges do family businesses face.

We take a very pragmatic approach to learn a set of tools that can be used for analyzing various issues/challenges faced by family businesses. The environment is this classroom is highly interactive where discussions with each other are the processes of learning. Rote memorization is discouraged and applied learning is promoted by study current national and international family business cases.

Through this course we wish to engage students with local businesses and provide consultation under faculty guidance. Students also have the opportunity to interview family owners of local businesses and discuss family dynamics and are expected to write case studies on family businesses that will be entered to compete in appropriate case competitions such as University of Vermont Family Business Case Competition. Those students whose cases are selected for presenting shall be given travel support. 

This course is open to juniors and seniors at the university. It is also open to anyone in the general public who is interested in learning how to work in and with family businesses successfully. Interested parties should contact the professor at least one week prior to the course to obtain permission.

The Rick Muth Endowed Chair supports this class as well as family business research and the CSUF Center for Family Business. This endowment was the first of its kind at Cal State Fullerton and is one of only a handful of endowed professorships in family business. It is named after the Chairman of ORCO Block and Hardscape, Rick Muth, who led the campaign to create this endowed chair position.

If you would like to visit a session of this class, we would love to have you!  We are always seeking great guest speakers, and family businesses to visit on field trips!

For more information, contact Dr. Kulraj Singh, krsingh@fullerton.edu.