As relações entre propriedade, família e empresa, na dinâmica da sucessão de uma empresa familiar

Abstract

In this study it wasanalyzed a family enterprise thatwere going through a transition from the first to the secondgeneration ofthe family. The enterprise is located at the south ofMinas Gerais and has been in the transportation sector for 44 years. The objective ofthis study was to understand the succession process from the point of view ofthe members of a family enterprise. Hence, we: described the history of the institution, focusing its different aspects; identifiedthe role ofthe founder in the organization and in the relationship with children and grandchildren; analyze the enterprise-family relationship and examine how the family members understand the succession and the change in leadership. The theoretic problematic was constructed around the succession process, involving notions about the nature and the life cycle ofthe family enterprise, the relationship between enterprise and family, the successor's preparation, the succession planning, power transference and role ofthe founder. The research was developed through a profound case study; the main technique used as data source was the interview of members of the three family generations. The speeches of the interviewed were analyzed, allowing the construction ofa network ofmeanings. The enterprise's historywas reported in five phases, according to the model proposed by Gersick et ai (1997). Howevêr,' the first phase was added to the model. Social representations emerged from the network ofmeanings present in the speeches ofthe interviewed andare related to the figure of the founder, to the type of relation between family and enterprise, and the succession process. The founder has a symbolic role in the family and in the enterprise; his presence transmits peace and harmony to the family and the enterprise. His power comes from his position as formal authority, as a father and as the decision controller in the enterprise. The relationship between enterprise and family hasan antagonism ofinterests: from one point strong emotional links and from the other rationality and objectivity. The transportation enterprise is based on principies, which indicate how the membersthat were interviewed act before the family, enterprise and clients.The success ofthe business means the participation ofthe father, mother, associate working sons and associate non-working daughters in the day by day of the family and enterprise. The enterprise's vision ofthe future is associated to two antagonist and complementary points of view, which are the competitive permanence of the organization in the market and the perpetration of the family's legacy. The network ofmeanings ofthe succession process involves intricateinterestsrelated with the succession planning, the rales for the entrance ofnew members and the choice and preparation ofthe future successor. This study cooperated for the theory ofthe succession process in family enterprises for it identified elements submerged in the realityofthe generations, allowing a deep anddetailed analysis of the data.