The Influence of Family Blockholders on the Financial Behavior of Listed Family Firms
This dissertation investigates the influence of large family shareholders on financial decisions and the performance of listed firms in Germany. This country is especially interesting, as the German corporate governance system is considered less investor- friendly with a limited influence of shareholders on managerial decisions. Based on the incentive structure of family blockholders and their influence in corporate boards, the four studies offer a novel approach to analyzing the financial behavior of family firms. They use a hand-collected panel dataset identifying blockholders and every board position in 278 corporations. The dissertation demonstrates that the degree of family involvement in boards significantly influences working capital and earnings management as well as stock market performance and provides contributions for academia and practitioners alike.
Fabio Franzoi studied Corporate Management & Economics at Zeppelin University and in Siena. During his studies, he worked at the Friedrichshafen Institute of Family Entrepreneurship as well as the Chair for Banking and Finance. While pursuing a part-time PhD-program in the private sector, he earned his PhD at Zeppelin University in 2022. His research focus is on financing, performance and the specific ownership and control structures of family businesses.