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Lessons Learned from Conducting Family BusinessWorkshops in Lebanon and ChinaBy Carmen Bianchi, Director ofSDSU Family Business Forum andPresident-Elect of Family FirmInstituteIn May and October 2006, DeanGail Naughton and I traveled toAmerican University of Beirutand Chinese University of HongKong, respectively, to conducttwo-day seminars on family business using the casestudy methodology.“Our objective in going to theseuniversities was to create awarenessand, perhaps, duplicate what we aredoing at San Diego State Universityat the Entrepreneurial ManagementCenter Business Forum.”– Carmen BianchiAs a professor of MBA students, as well as a familybusiness consultant, I knew it was important notto instill American values when visiting foreigncountries, but to learn from the attendees abouttheir own particular culture. By practicing this perspectivefrom the beginning, the participants weremore appreciative and open. Further, we chosea European case study that dealt with all the pertinentissues facing family businesses (successionplanning, transition, sibling rivalry, birth order,enmeshment, fusion, triangulation, so forth) to reinforcethe perspective above, and give the workshopparticipants an opportunity to demonstrate howthings are done in their country.In Beirut, it was interesting to note that most of thefamily businesses are passed on to the oldest son(primogeniture) and that it is a male dominatedsuccession plan. Most of the companies are familyowned,very large and not public companies;whereas in Hong Kong, 80% of the companies arefamily-owned and public. It is also bad “Chi” tospeak of death in China so, instead of talking aboutdeath, we talked about some kind of permanentdisability that would trigger the need to write andcreate a succession plan.The Chinese audience was very receptive torole playing and took it most seriously. Some ofthem were so good they could have ended upin Hollywood! The Lebanese were more cautious,but relaxed, and the workshop was a great successin getting the participants to role play.These workshops are for both practitioners andservice providers to family businesses, as well as themembers of a family business. They are educationaland growth-oriented with emphasis on structureand governance. Because communication is a veryimportant component, we encourage all membersof the family business to attend so that they canlearn to deal with conflict in a more structured andunemotional way.Our objective in going to these universities wasto create awareness and, perhaps, duplicate whatwe are doing at San Diego State University at theEntrepreneurial Management Center BusinessForum. Our outreach program is for closely heldand family businesses with revenues of $3- to$500-million. We have monthly roundtables andan annual retreat with the goal of addressing theirpertinent issues through education and leadership.About Carmen BianchiCarmen Bianchi, founder of the EMC BusinessForum, has been elected as president of the FamilyFirm Institute (FFI). Bianchi was announced aspresident at the FFI’s annual conference on Oct. 25-28 in San Francisco. Her term as president at FFI willconsist of one year as president-elect, two years aspresident, and one year as ex-officio. Bianchi hasbeen a family business consultant since 1991. Herexpertise lies in family systems and the relationshipbetween family, business ownership and the professionalroles within a family firm. She teaches theMBA program at SDSU on Family Business Managementand she is also the principal of Carmal &Associates; a family business consulting firm.20 sdsu college of business administration: leadership for the global marketplace
Reprinted by permission of The Wall Street JournalHow San Diego State Aims to Be UniqueNew Programs Include Global Entrepreneurship, Life SciencesBy Ron AlsopTuesday, February 20, 2007Like the toothpaste aisle at the grocerystore, the selection of M.B.A. programshas never been greater or more diverse.And like Colgate-Palmolive Co. and Procter& Gamble Co., business schools mustwork harder than ever to create new andTALKINGB-SCHOOLimproved products and promotetheir distinctive benefitsto prospective customersNowhere is that more apparent than inSan Diego. Business schools there arebecoming much more active players inthe M.B.A. marketplace as San Diego StateUniversity, the University of San Diegoand the University of California, SanDiego, all roll out new degree programs.M.B.A. Track columnist Ron Alsop recentlytalked with Gail Naughton, dean of theCollege of Business Administration at SanDiego State University, about the school’stwo newest M.B.A. programs, in globalentrepreneurship and the life sciences, andabout online education and the escalatingM.B.A. competition in San Diego.Gail K. Naughton, Dean, SDSU College of Business AdministrationWSJ: How has San Diego State been affected bythe development of new full-time M.B.A. programsat both the University of San Diego and theUniversity of California, San Diego?Dr. Naughton: Our applications are increasing, soif anything, the new programs are heighteningawareness of the importance of an M.B.A. in theSan Diego community. Each school is also taking adifferent approach to management education. Weare playing to our established strengths in internationalbusiness, entrepreneurship, and accountingand governance, while the University of San Diegois focusing on business ethics and social responsibilityand UC San Diego has reacted to the growthof technology and the life sciences to train scientistsand engineers in management.WSJ: Many schools today claim to be international.What do you believe will set your global-entrepreneurshipdegree apart from other internationalbusiness programs?Dr. Naughton: Our program will focus very heavily onthe importance of local culture and language in doingbusiness abroad, as well as the interaction of governmentand politics with business. Students will experiencea total immersion in other cultures, spendingabout 12 weeks each in San Diego and at partneruniversities in China, India and the Middle East.... continued on page 22sdsu college of business administration: leadership for the global marketplace 21
Page 1 and 2: Spring 2007Leadership for the Globa
Page 3 and 4: New MBA in Global Entrepreneurship
Page 5 and 6: New International Business Chair Sp
Page 7 and 8: C I B E R Y E A R I N R E V I E WEd
Page 10 and 11: STUDENT NEWSInternational Business
Page 12 and 13: D I S T I N C T I O N SSDSU named i
Page 14 and 15: FACULTY INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH SPOT
Page 16 and 17: FACULTY INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ACHI
Page 18 and 19: NEW FACULTY HIRED WITH INTERNATIONA
Page 22 and 23: WSJ: San Diego State is working clo
Page 24: MBA for Executives Program Travels

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