Conflicts and Conflict Dynamics in Business Families

Prof. Arist von Schlippe holds the Chair in Leadership and Dynamics in Family Business at the Witten Institute for Family Business within the Faculty of Management and Economics of Witten/Herdecke University (Germany). He has a PhD and postdoctoral lecture qualification in clinical psychology and is an expert in family therapy and family psychology. His research focuses on the business family, including areas such as strategy, governance, and conflict resolution.Prof. Tom A. Rüsen is an honorary professor at Witten/Herdecke University (Germany), where he manages the Witten Institute for Family Business and heads the non-profit WIFU Foundation. His primary research focus is on conflict and crisis dynamics in business families. As a practitioner, he guides situations involving succession, conflict, and crisis and develops family strategies. In both 2020 and 2022, he was recognized by Family Capital as one of the world's top 100 family influencers in the "Academics" category.

• 1. ​Introduction: The need for family governance.- 2. An ‘impossible’ connection.- 3. Typical conflict courses and mechanisms.- 4. Dealing with conflicts on the individual level: Unfollow the prescribed patterns.- 5. Dealing with conflicts on the collective level: Family strategy and more.- 6. Wrap-up: 18 Key phrases.