The RA will support a major research initiative at IESE’s Africa Initiative focused on mapping and understanding family-owned businesses across Africa. The project explores how governance structures, ownership patterns, and family values shape the performance, development outcomes, and long-term orientation of family firms across six key African markets: Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, and Morocco.

This research addresses a critical knowledge gap: while family-owned businesses represent 70–90% of Africa’s private sector, systematic evidence on their governance structures, operational performance, and development outcomes remains scarce. Over three years, the project will gather data from over 300 family businesses, combining quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews and case studies to build the most comprehensive dataset on African family enterprises ever assembled.

Understanding these dynamics is particularly valuable for investors,...