The influence of cultural attributes on intergenerational succession in the Chinese-Australian family business

Research on succession in family business has been traditionally concentrated on planning and strategies in terms of management, ownership and governance. There is an increasing concern on the family influence on the process of succession. This paper discusses the role that the family culture plays in sustaining a family's commitment to its business. In particular, the family business is a prominent form of organisation among the ethnic Chinese expatriate business families. Since the I 980s, under the business migration programme, the increase of Chinese migrants has contributed significantly to the cultural landscape of Australian. This paper chooses Chinese-Australian family businesses to explore their cultural characteristics as a strong family influence on the practices of pas sing on the business to the next generation.

Succession of small mammal communities after fire and reintroduction of the swamp antechinus 'Antechinus minimus'

This thesis is involved with changes that have occurred to small mammal populations following a major disturbance in the Anglesea region as a result of the 1983 Ash Wednesday fires. Fire, with its effects on spatial and temporal heterogeneity, was found to be an important factor in the maintenance of vegetation and small mammal community structure and diversity in the region. Successional changes in vegetation and small mammal communities were described by multivariate analyses, using data collected annually from 22 study sites. The use of factor analysis techniques, in reducing the annual capture data content, enabled long-term changes in the structure of mammal communities to be interpreted. The small mammal communities in the coastal heath and forest vegetation in the Anglesea region show evidence of a general resilience, (the degree and speed of recovery), to disturbance. Two phases of successional response to fire by mammal species have been proposed; a ‘re-establishment’ phase which occurs in the initial 5-6 years post-fire and is accompanied by rapid increase in species’ abundance, and a subsequent ‘maintenance’ phase accompanied by relatively minor changes in abundance. Habitat Suitability Indices were produced relating to these phases. Vertical density measures of understorey shrubs and herb layers showed significant relationships with small mammal species abundance at the study sites. Long term studies following major disturbances are needed to distinguish between short term recovery of plant and animal species and long term changes in these species. Studies extending over a number of years enable a better directional view of changes in small mammal communities than can be determined from . observations made over a short period. As a part of the investigation into temporal change, it was proposed to undertake trial reintroductions of the Swamp antechinus, Ant echinus minimus, a marsupial dasyurid species which was trapped in the area prior to the 1983 fire, but rarely subsequently. Other more commonly observed native small mammal species (e.g. Rattus fuscipes,R. lutreolus, Antechinus stuartii, Sminthopsis leucopus) had re-invaded the proposed reintroduction site after this fire. Failure of A. minimus to re-establish may have been due to spatial separation of the pre-fire populations coupled with the extensive area burnt in 1983, A source population of the species was located about 100km to the west and habitat utilization and interspecific and niche relationships between the species making the small mammal community explored. Discriminant analysis revealed some spatial separation of species within a habitat based on structural vegetation factors rather than floristic factors. Temporal separation of species was observed, asA. minimus were more active than Rattus species during daylight periods. There was evidence of micro-habitat selection by species, and structural vegetation factors were most commonly identified in statistical analyses as contributing towards selection by small mammal species. Following a theoretical modelling study three reintroduction trials were carried out near Anglesea during 1992-94. Individuals were subsequently radio tracked, and habitat relationships between the species in the small mammal community investigated. Although successful breeding of A, minimus occurred during the latter two trials, the subsequent fate of offspring was not determined. Invasive techniques required to adequately monitor young animals were considered potentially too damaging. Telemetry studies indicated a preference of A. minimus for short, wet heath vegetation. Structural vegetation factors were identified as being significant in discriminating between capture locations of species. Small scale and inexpensive trial reintroductions have yielded valuable additional data on this species and may be viewed as a useful tool in the conservation of other small native mammals.

Challenges of inter-generational succession in the Chinese Australian family business

Chinese immigrants have long been a feature of Australia's population mix and play a critical role in the country's economic activities, with particular contribution by Chinese family-owned businesses. Although these family-owned businesses can generate and significantly improve the financial wealth which stems from the family's original fortune, most Chinese family businesses are relatively short-lived, rarely extending beyond one generation. The high mortality rate in family businesses points primarily to the challenges of management succession. There is recognition that inter-generational succession is essential for both the profitability of Chinese family businesses and the welfare of the family as a whole. However, the intentions of inter-generational pursuit of continuity can be subject to the different goals and interests of key participants, as well as the surrounding context in which the business develops. This paper presents issues pertaining to the inter-generational diversity that might challenge the business continuity of Chinese family businesses, through the identification of how individuals perceive, relate to and initiate the succession process.

Succession and Indigenous Australians : addressing Indigenous customary law notions of 'property' and 'kinship' in a succession law context

The purpose of this article is to critically evaluate the existing capacity of Indigenous people to exercise succession rights against their estate. This article begins with a discussion of the sources of the general succession laws in Australia, noting that they have derived from UK law, where the common law notions of property, property rights and family, including the expectational right to succeed to property, are all important factors. These common law notions do not easily fit within the spectrum of Indigenous customary law. Generally, many Indigenous Australians will die without executing a valid will (ie, they die intestate) and it is here that this article undertakes an examination of the general intestacy laws in all Australian jurisdictions noting the inadequacy of the provisions to recognise Indigenous persons’ spiritual and cultural obligations to property, land or otherwise, together with a failure to distinguish extended Indigenous kinship relationships under Indigenous customary law. It is argued that Indigenous people who die intestate should be supported by a flexible and adaptive intestacy framework, responsive to the full customary and cultural responsibilities of the deceased, thus promoting an organic and developmental approach to succession entitlements.

Examining strategic preparation for CEO succession

This research used a case study approach to examine how mid-sized Victorian State Sport Organisations select a new CEO. The specific focus was on the emphasis placed on achieving strategic fit, the usage of organisational strategy throughout the selection process, and what facilitated and hindered a successful hire.

Challenges of family business succession: Chinese-Australian case studies

This thesis explores the factors and values that have impacted on succession choices prior to the succession event in Chinese-Australian first-generational family businesses. Founders demonstrated an oscillation between the choices of a family-based succession and a business-based succession, which was influenced by the multifaceted Chinese-Australian family business context.

The succession decision in Chinese–Australian family businesses : an exploratory study

This article explores the factors used to make succession choices as ethnic Chinese family business founders integrate into their host country, Australia. An empirical study of six Chinese–Australian family businesses was used to analyse what factors influence the succession decision-making process. Results show three broad factors influenced the founders’ decisions, including the aspirations and visions of the business founders, cultural and individual values shaped in the integration process, and the options that are available for succession. Findings challenge the anticipated option of intergenerational succession, with its emphasis on family-oriented collectivistic values as expectations. It provides future support for considering how the cultural value orientation (collectivistic, individualistic, or transitional) has impacted on the founder’s succession choices. Further research is required to understand how the flexible, changing, situational founder’s succession intentions are manifested among family businesses in cultural transition.

The immediate impact of coach succession events on season ticket holder attitudes

This study is the first to examine the immediate impact that succession events (e.g., removal and hiring) involving head coaches have on season ticket holder (STH) attitudes like satisfaction and renewal intentions. Grounded within a customer equity framework, large-scale survey data from cases of two professional sport teams is presented showing STH attitudes directly before and after major succession events. The data shows that appointing a new coach was met with increases in positive attitudes toward almost every aspect of the STH experience, where the case of removing a coach had no meaningful impact on attitudes. The findings of these cases reaffirm the view that coach succession is a multiple-phase process including distinct stages of removal and replacement. While it is the desire for improved on-field performance that often motivates coach succession, our findings suggest the impact of succession activities on fans is more wide ranging, with significant implications for marketers who manage fan relationships. In guiding the management of a team's fans, coach removal alone should not be relied upon to change attitudes or intentions toward a club. Appointing new leaders completes the cycle, increasing positive STH attitudes and, most importantly, giving an immediate lift to renewal likelihood.