Write a formal letter to a CEO 

For this assignment, you need to read the two articles in this folder that address sibling rivalries and daughters in family businesses. Sibling Relationships and Intergenerational Succession In Family Firms by Friedman, S. D. (1991) is one of the articles in this folder. Family Business Review, 4(1), 3-20; or Rocio Martinez Jimenez’s study on women in family businesses.

Write a professional, two- to three-page letter to a CEO who is deciding between his son and daughter, both of whom are already employed by the company, to take the helm of his enterprise and instruct him on the succession procedures he needs to follow. You’ll address the letter as though you were a family business consultant and urge the recipient to study the two aforementioned publications. The top three most important lessons from each article, along with why they were learned, must be listed in your letter.

Drawing from readings from additional mandatory (and optional) family business readings, such as Poza, Hilburt-Davis, and other cases we have studied, is necessary to earn a grade over average.

Making connections between the articles or your personal experience and best practices for family businesses—such as the succession planning process, success criteria, spouse responsibilities, CEO exit styles, family and business governance, etc.—can also help you earn higher grades. In addition, the suggested websites serve as an excellent supplement to the course readings. Always be sure to reference sources properly and indicate where or what in the outside information was important to you. For instance, you may use one of the success criteria offered by Poza Figure 6.1, page 143.