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Winners of the Family Business Thesis Award

  • Monday 22 January 2024
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Higher education often overlooks the world’s most common type of enterprise: the family business. Many students graduate with little to no knowledge of the unique dynamics of entrepreneurial families and their companies.

To bridge this gap, the Dutch Centre of Expertise in Family Business(opens in new tab) at Windesheim University of Applied Sciences has presented an international thesis award since 2017. The goal is to encourage students to explore this field and contribute to both scientific research and practical insights.

The annual Family Business Thesis Award (previously the Ten Clarenwater Thesis Awards) recognize the best Master’s and Bachelor’s theses on family businesses. By highlighting outstanding research, we aim to foster greater academic interest and awareness of the crucial role entrepreneurial families play in the economy.

Read about the significance of Ten Clarenwater

Previous winners

2023

  • Best Bachelor's Thesis: Unfortunately, no winner was named this year due to a lack of submissions.

  • Best Master's Thesis: Tessa Dijkkamp (UvA & VU Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
    Thesis Title: Family Learning in Next Generation Preparation

Read the jury report(opens in new tab)

2022

  • Best Bachelor's Thesis: Isabeau Jonkers (Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands)
    Thesis Title: Social Sustainability in Transport – A Family Business. An exploratory study on how family businesses in international road transport can ensure employee welfare and social sustainability.
     
  • Best Master's Thesis: Roel Jansen (Tilburg University, The Netherlands)
    Thesis Title: The European Business Succession Facilities Regarding the Acquisition of Shares: Necessary and Efficient?

Read the jury report(opens in new tab)

2021

  • Best Bachelor's Thesis: Francesco Frontani (ESCP Business School, Paris, France)
    Thesis Title: Renovating Capitalism through Corporate Purpose in Organizations. A study on the Italian cases of Brunello Cucinelli and Lavazza, compared to academic perspectives.
  • Honourable Mention: Thereso Grillo (WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management, Vallendar, Germany)
    Thesis Title: Innovation in Family Firms. A qualitative analysis of how family businesses engage with internal and external sources of innovation.
     
  • Best Master's Thesis: Andrea Buratti (University of Bergamo, Italy)
    Thesis Title: The Effect of Family Member Identification with the Firm on Entrepreneurial Orientation and Performance
  • Honourable Mention: Liesbeth Rompelberg (Tilburg University, The Netherlands)
    Thesis Title: The Familial Character of Business Succession Facilities in Western Europe

2020

  • Best Bachelor's Thesis: Ronald Moerman (Aeres University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands)
    Thesis Title: Non-Successors of an Agricultural Family Business
  • Honourable Mention: Julian van den Akker (Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands)
    Thesis Title: Shared Ownership: Shared Concerns?
     
  • Best Master's Thesis: Marc Kuijken (Tilburg University, The Netherlands)
    Thesis Title: Supervisory Board Effectiveness in Family Businesses
  • Honourable Mention: Michiel Heerkens (AOG School of Management, University of Groningen, The Netherlands)
    Thesis Title: Research into the Perception of Freedom in the Family Business

2019

  • Best Bachelor's Thesis: Barbara Cornelissen (Inholland University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands)
    Thesis Title: Investment Calculation De Kleine Schorre B.V.
  • Honourable Mention: Julian Elias Lessing (WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management, Germany)
    Thesis Title: Open Innovation in Family Firms
     
  • Best Master's Thesis: Shelley Beck Saunders (Nelson Mandela University, South Africa)
    Thesis Title: Parental Influences on the Next Generation's Intention to Join the Family Business
  • Honourable Mention: Desiree Westland (Nyenrode Business University, The Netherlands)
    Thesis Title: Governance and Values in Family Business

2018

  • Best Bachelor's Thesis: Geurt van Assen (Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands)
    Thesis Title: The Influence of Subsidies and Stewardship Behaviour on Sustainability
     
  • Best Master's Thesis: Klara Selling & Gabriella Gustafsson (Jönköping International Business School, Sweden)
    Thesis Title: Trust in Family Business – A Study of Employees’ Trust for the New CEO Post-Succession

2017

  • Best Bachelor's Thesis: Paulina Grillo (WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management, Germany)
    Thesis Title: Non-Economic Goals and Family Firm Financing
  • Honourable Mention: Franziska Holle (WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management, Germany)
    Thesis Title: Influence of Transgenerational Knowledge Transfer and Preservation on the Innovation Outcome in Family Firms
     
  • Best Master's Thesis: Katharina Hubmann (Maastricht University, The Netherlands)
    Thesis Title: Multiple Identities in Family Firms: Exploring the Effect of Actual and Communicated Identity on Performance
  • Honourable Mention: Lutz Stoffels (Universität Witten/Herdecke, Germany)
    Thesis Title: Keeping the Knowledge Inside the Family Business at Transgenerational Change

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