Should I stay or should I go? – Now and Next-Generation Challenges in Families in Business with professor Cristina Cruz

Professor Cristina Cruz participated as a speaker during the last event held by the IE Families in Business Club, which brings together an international network of IE students with family business backgrounds. The director for the IE Center for Families in Business addressed some of the most pressing concerns that next generations face when deciding whether to join the family business after they finish their studies – a genuine “should I stay or should I go” question that requires students to reflect on their personal situation to find a clear path in their future professional careers in the family business.

In this sense, the event took the form of a very engaging debate in which students had the opportunity to ask their questions and discuss the dilemmas they face with both Professor Cruz and their club colleagues. As a result, the students obtained valuable insights on the dynamics of family business governance and the importance of the involvement of the new generations. Ultimately, Professor Cruz emphasized the need to ask the right questions when facing such challenges to eventually understand how the next generations can add real value and become good owners of the family business.