Succession and the Transfer of Social Capital in Chinese Family Businesses

Understanding Guanxi as a Resource – Cases, Examples and Firm Owners in Their Own Words

By (author) Xing Ke

Book cover: Succession and the Transfer of Social Capital in Chinese Family Businesses

Extent: 247 pages

Publisher: V&R unipress

Subjects: Asian/Pacific Studies & Religions, Business & Economics

Series: Wittener Schriften zu Familienunternehmen

Language: English

Hardback (Published)

(October 2018)

ISBN: 9783847108924

6.34 x 9.33 inches

Price: $69.00

In stock

Lasting for generations is the dream of many family businesses. How do Chinese family firms deal with the challenge of succession? What factors impact their decisions?Is social capital handed over, too?


This is the first systematic study of the succession process of Chinese family businesses which reveals what is truly happening during the time of hand-over. In explaining the features of the Chinese way of succession, special attention is paid to the transfer of social capital and guanxi, among other cultural and socioeconomic contexts, which could impact the behaviours and decisions of the family business stakeholders. Carefully selected 63 cases of family firms and the authentic words and experiences of the founders and their second generation are of high relevance in helping the readers to understand Chinese family businesses and their successions as well as to learn from their successes or failures.

Dr Xing Ke received her Doctor’s Degree in Economics at Witten/Herdecke University in 2016. She completed her BA at Peking University, China in 2009 and received her Master’s Degree at Frankfurt School of Finance & Management in 2011. Besides getting intensively involved in research of family business, she has also gained rich experiences in consultancy and finance sectors as practitioner. She was certified as one of the High-level Talents in Chongqing, China in 2017.

  • By (author) Xing Ke