Maximilian Lantelme is a doctoral candidate studying the development and downfall of family firms at Zeppelin University, Germany. He also works as a strategy consultant in the field of mergers and acquisitions for an international management consulting firm.Laura K. C. Seibold analyzed in her PhD thesis the growth of family firms. Dr. Seibold now works as assistant to the CEO of a large insurance company and is a member of the second generation of a German family business that operates in mechanical and software engineering.Hermut Kormann worked as a CFO and CEO for many years. After retirement, he has held board assignments at Robert Bosch, TRUMPF, and various other family companies in Germany and abroad. He is a Visiting Professor at Leipzig University and Apl. Professor at Zeppelin University, Friedrichshafen. Dr. Kormann and his students published various books on strategy issues of family businesses  with Springer, and his work is featured regularly in German and Chinese journals on family businesses.

• 1. Introduction: Characterizing Family-Owned Enterprises and Assessing Them Concerning Criteria Such as Family Involvement, Size, Age, Longevity, Independence and Vitality.- 2. Structure and Age of German Family Enterprises.- 3. Development of the 500 Biggest Family Enterprises since Foundation.- 4. Continuous Development to Longevity.- 5. The Issue of Required Growth: A Literature Review.- 6. Requirements for Mature Growth.- 7. Critical Disruptions in the Development.- 8. Conclusion: Orientation Regarding Direction of Future Research and Strategies for Supporting Longevity.

Maximilian Lantelme is a doctoral candidate studying the development and downfall of family firms at Zeppelin University, Germany. He also works as a strategy consultant in the field of mergers and acquisitions for an international management consulting firm.Laura K. C. Seibold analyzed in her PhD thesis the growth of family firms. Dr. Seibold now works as assistant to the CEO of a large insurance company and is a member of the second generation of a German family business that operates in mechanical and software engineering.Hermut Kormann worked as a CFO and CEO for many years. After retirement, he has held board assignments at Robert Bosch, TRUMPF, and various other family companies in Germany and abroad. He is a Visiting Professor at Leipzig University and Apl. Professor at Zeppelin University, Friedrichshafen. Dr. Kormann and his students published various books on strategy issues of family businesses  with Springer, and his work is featured regularly in German and Chinese journals on family businesses.

• 1. Introduction: Characterizing Family-Owned Enterprises and Assessing Them Concerning Criteria Such as Family Involvement, Size, Age, Longevity, Independence and Vitality.- 2. Structure and Age of German Family Enterprises.- 3. Development of the 500 Biggest Family Enterprises since Foundation.- 4. Continuous Development to Longevity.- 5. The Issue of Required Growth: A Literature Review.- 6. Requirements for Mature Growth.- 7. Critical Disruptions in the Development.- 8. Conclusion: Orientation Regarding Direction of Future Research and Strategies for Supporting Longevity.

Maximilian Lantelme is a doctoral candidate studying the development and downfall of family firms at Zeppelin University, Germany. He also works as a strategy consultant in the field of mergers and acquisitions for an international management consulting firm.Laura K. C. Seibold analyzed in her PhD thesis the growth of family firms. Dr. Seibold now works as assistant to the CEO of a large insurance company and is a member of the second generation of a German family business that operates in mechanical and software engineering.Hermut Kormann worked as a CFO and CEO for many years. After retirement, he has held board assignments at Robert Bosch, TRUMPF, and various other family companies in Germany and abroad. He is a Visiting Professor at Leipzig University and Apl. Professor at Zeppelin University, Friedrichshafen. Dr. Kormann and his students published various books on strategy issues of family businesses  with Springer, and his work is featured regularly in German and Chinese journals on family businesses.

• 1. Introduction: Characterizing Family-Owned Enterprises and Assessing Them Concerning Criteria Such as Family Involvement, Size, Age, Longevity, Independence and Vitality.- 2. Structure and Age of German Family Enterprises.- 3. Development of the 500 Biggest Family Enterprises since Foundation.- 4. Continuous Development to Longevity.- 5. The Issue of Required Growth: A Literature Review.- 6. Requirements for Mature Growth.- 7. Critical Disruptions in the Development.- 8. Conclusion: Orientation Regarding Direction of Future Research and Strategies for Supporting Longevity.