International Conference On Family Businesses: A Focus On The Arab World
ESCA Ecole de Management, Casablanca, Maroc
14-15 juillet
Call for papers
Family businesses have attracted the attention of management science researchers for several decades. This interest has grown considerably and has become almost universal. This type of firm is prevalent and represents a significant global economic force. In the Arab world, family businesses account for more than 80%, participate actively in investment promotion and job creation; which make them a key pillar of economic growth, social development, and competitiveness.
The dual dimension –family and business– legitimizes and gives the family business decisive special features; on the one hand, “the family control”, with socio-emotional goals that do not necessarily meet those of non-family shareholders in financial markets; on the other hand, “business” with priorities for profitability and growth in an increasingly challenging economy.
Aside from family ownership, business orientation, and management, culture plays a major role in family businesses’ viability. This cultural dimension is very important in the Arab world where contextual factors, including history and religion, shape financial markets, geopolitical issues, common values, as well as managerial practices . Paradoxically, little is known about Arab family businesses. Most of the empirical studies on family businesses are derived from research conducted in the West or Asian countries, and studies on family businesses of the Arab world are still relatively scarce.
Family businesses in this specific part of the world are facing major challenges. Even if they are recognized for their commitment, resilience, and agility when they are well managed, a large proportion of family businesses struggle to survive beyond the first generation. This is critical for Arab countries’ economies where family businesses are particularly dominant. This raises important questions and should lead to an in-depth discussion on the governance structure of family business firms which continue to prefer to informally regulate the actions of family members.
Besides governance, financial policies represent some of the most compelling challenges. Empirical evidence argues that family firms of the Arab world have an investment-cash flows sensitivity and prefer internal financing. Other challenges concern gender issues in Arab family businesses where women play informal, “behind-the-scenes” roles, while some studies show that women can be success and performance drivers if they are allowed to occupy top management positions in the family businesses.
The aim of this international conference is to bring together lecturers, academic researchers, scholars, practitioners, and all interested contributors to exchange ideas, experiences, and research results on the various aspects of family businesses operating in the Arab World. It is an interdisciplinary forum that aims to discuss trends, practical challenges, and recent concerns of family businesses in the region, and to shed light on the nuances of family businesses in terms of both their phenomenological perspectives and theoretical developments.
For flexibility reasons, the conference will be held in hybrid mode. Both oral and virtual presentations are accepted.
Family businesses in this specific par t of the world are facing major challenges.
Even if they are recognized for their commitment, resilience, and agility when they are well managed, a large proportion of family businesses struggle to survive beyond the first generation. This is critical for Arab countries’ economies where family businesses are particularly dominant. This raises important questions and should lead to an in-depth discussion on the governance structure of family business firms which continue to prefer to informally regulate the actions of family members.Besides governance, financial policies represent some of the most compelling challenges. Empirical evidence argues that family firms of the Arab world have an investment-cash flows sensitivity and prefer internal financing. Other challenges concern gender issues in Arab family businesses where women play informal, “behind-the-scenes” roles, while some studies show that women can be success and performance drivers if they are allowed to occupy top management positions in the family businesses.
The aim of this international conference is to bring together lecturers, academic researchers, scholars, practitioners, and all interested contributors to exchange ideas, experiences, and research results on the various aspects of family businesses operating in the Arab World. It is an interdisciplinary forum that aims to discuss trends, practical challenges, and recent concerns of family businesses in the region, and to shed light on the nuances of family businesses in terms of both their phenomenological perspectives and theoretical developments.
For flexibility reasons, the conference will be held in hybrid mode. Both oral and virtual presentations are accepted.
Soumission Types :
This conference welcomes a wide range of submission types (empirical article, theoretical review, systematic review, bibliometric review…) to reach a large community and enrich the discussion among family business scholars.
Researchers are invited to submit an extended abstract of an original paper, of 500 – 800 words, clear, concise, and written in French or English. The extended abstracts will be evaluated through a double-blind process with at least two reviewers and all accepted abstracts will be published in the conference proceedings.
WORKSHOPS
During the conference, two parallel workshops will be held and open to PhD students and researchers in management sciences. Participants to the conference can attend the workshops free of charge.
Doctoral Workshop
The doctoral workshop is open to all Ph.D. students in management sciences who are at an intermediate stage of research and whose theses are not necessarily on family businesses. This doctoral workshop allows doctoral students to meet renowned academics and to receive feedback on their research (theoretical framework, research questions, methodological choices, etc.) from researchers and thesis supervisors who are experienced in the field.
Interested Ph.D. students must submit an extended abstract of their thesis work specifying the research design.
Methodology Workshop : Scientific writing and publication in indexed journals
This workshop is open to PhD students and researchers interested in writing articles according to a rigorous methodology that meets the standards of indexed and refereed journals. The aim is to understand the common standards of qualified journals and to discuss best practices of scientific writing. This workshop will be highly interactive.
Workshops are open only to participants physically present to the conference. There will be no online session for doctoral workshop.
Topics of interest :
We welcome papers relating to all aspects pertaining to family businesses for presentation and discussion. Potential areas of interest could be, but are not limited to :
| Strategy & governance |
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| Finance |
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| Human resources management |
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| Marketing |
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Entrepreneurship |
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Corporate social responsibility |
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How to participe :
Submission
Proposals for extended abstracts or doctoral workshop must be submitted via the conference online submission system and not by email. Please refer to the following website.
Web Form :
The submission of the extended abstract for both researchers and applicants for the doctoral workshop must cover the following:
Registration fees
Upon receipt of the acceptance notification, the applicant will be asked to confirm his/her participation and register for the conference. Registration fees cover admission to different sessions, all conference materials, lunch, coffee breaks, and the Certificate of Participation.
| (USD $) |
In person |
Online |
| Researchers |
$ 250 |
$ 150 |
| PhD Students |
$ 50 |
No fees |
| Gala Dinner (optional) |
$ 80 |
|
Online participants must give a convincing justification for their choice for this presentation mode (VISA refusal for example).Cancellation and Refund Policy : Kindly note that no refunds will be given for cancellations. If you choose not to attend the conference after you have completed your payment, we will not be able to refund the registration fees.
Key Dates and Deadlines
| All submissions (extended abstract) are due | May, 24 th, 2022 |
| Notification of acceptance/ rejection for all submissions | June 14th, 2022 |
| Registration deadline for authors and doctoral workshop applicants | July 4th, 2022 |
| Conference dates | July 14-15, 2022 |
Scientific committee
ADEL Nabil, ESCA Ecole de management, Casablanca, Morocco
AHSINA Khalifa, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco
ALLIOUI Azzeddine, ESCA Ecole de management, Casablanca, Morocco
BALAMBO Mohammed Amine, CADI-AYYAD University, Marrakesh, Morocco
BEN RHOUMA Amel, Université de Paris-Cité (IUT de Paris Rives-de-Seine), CEDAG EA 15-16, France
BENHRIMIDA Mohamed, Hassan II University , Casablanca, Morocco
BENRAISS-NOAILLES Laïla, IAE Bordeaux, France
BERRADA EL AZIZI Taib, ESCA Ecole de management, Casablanca, Morocco
BOUAMAMA Mohamed, ESCA Ecole de management, Casablanca, Morocco
CHAKER Fadwa, ESCA Ecole de management, Casablanca, Morocco
EL BEDAWY Randa, School of Business, the American University in Cairo, Egypt
EL CHAARANI Hani, The Faculty of Business Administration, Beirut Arab University, Lebanon
EL GHAIB Majid Kaissar, ESCA Ecole de management, Casablanca, Morocco
EL-ABIAD Zouhour, Faculty of Economic Sciences and Business Administration, Lebanese University, Lebanon
EVELYNE Lande, IAE Poitiers, France
FAHED-SREIH Josiane, Lebanese American University, Lebanon
HABBA Badr, ESCA Ecole de management & CADI-AYYAD University, Morocco
HATHOUT Chaimae, ESCA Ecole de management, Casablanca, Morocco
HOURMAT ALLAH Hind, CADI-AYYAD University, Marrakech, Morocco
HUBERT Tchakoute, Kedge Business School, France
JEDLANE Nabil, ENCG, Universitéy of Abdelmalek Saadi, Tangiers, Morocco
KOUBAA Salah, ESCA Ecole de management & Hassan II University, Morocco
LABAKI Rania, IFERA & EDHEC Family Business Centre, France
LOUITRI Abdenbi, CADI-AYYAD University, Marrakesh, Morocco
MAOUFOUD Salma, ESCA Ecole de management, Casablanca, Morocco
MIR Amr, ESCA Ecole de management, Casablanca, Morocco
MOUNIR Amine, ESCA Ecole de management, Casablanca, Morocco
MZID Imen, Institut des Hautes Études Commerciales, Université de Sfax, Tunisia
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If you have any questions regarding the above, please send an email to : [email protected]
