Case Study

Four generations of the Owens family (D)

6 pages
July 2005
Reference: IMD-3-1569

This four part case series follows the Richard Owens family through nearly one hundred years of evolution and change. The family business started with one grocery store in 1906 and, by 1974, had grown into a large private enterprise that included supermarkets, liquor stores and real estate. While competitors could not seem to stop the Owens family business, fractured family relationships and rivalries caused significant problems. In 1974, the conflict came to a head and the firm was split into three, one business line for each sibling. How the businesses fared and how each brother managed his company for the future are the subjects of the B case. Efforts by one branch of the family to avoid the kinds of problems that brought about the division of the original family business are outlined. Governance and ownership issues now faced by the next generation are highlighted. The C case brings participants up-to-date with the evolution of the Richard Owens family’s first constitution and governance policies implemented to help protect the family firm for the future. The D case presents the next step in family and company governance, highlighting the most recent family constitution dated November 2002.

Keywords
Retail
Settings
Australia
1995 - 2005
Type
Field Research
Copyright
© 2005
Available Languages
English
Related material
Video
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This case study is part of a series
  • Four generations of the Owens family (A)
  • Four generations of the Owens family (B)
  • Four generations of the Owens family (C)
  • Four generations of the Owens family (D)
This case study is part of a series
  • Four generations of the Owens family (A)
  • Four generations of the Owens family (B)
  • Four generations of the Owens family (C)
  • Four generations of the Owens family (D)
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Four generations of the Owens family (A)
By John L. Ward Joachim Schwass and Colleen Lief
Case reference: IMD-3-1492 ©2005
Summary
This case series follows the Richard Owens family through nearly one hundred years of evolution and change. The A-case describes how the family bus...
Reference IMD-3-1492
Copyright ©2005
Copyright owner IMD Copyright
Industry Consumer Services, Retail
Available Languages English
Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Four generations of the Owens family (B)
By John L. Ward Joachim Schwass and Colleen Lief
Case reference: IMD-3-1493 ©2005
Summary
How the businesses fared after the firm was split up in 1974 and how each brother managed his company for the future are the subjects of the B case...
Reference IMD-3-1493
Copyright ©2005
Copyright owner IMD Copyright
Industry Finance and Insurance
Available Languages English
Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Four generations of the Owens family (C)
By John L. Ward Joachim Schwass and Colleen Lief
Case reference: IMD-3-1494 ©2005
Summary
This three part case series follows the Richard Owens family through nearly one hundred years of evolution and change. The family business started ...
Reference IMD-3-1494
Copyright ©2005
Copyright owner IMD Copyright
Available Languages English
Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Four generations of the Owens family (D)
By John L. Ward Joachim Schwass and Colleen Lief
Case reference: IMD-3-1569 ©2005
Summary
This four part case series follows the Richard Owens family through nearly one hundred years of evolution and change. The family business started w...
Reference IMD-3-1569
Copyright ©2005
Copyright owner IMD Copyright
Available Languages English
Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications