Past IFEB Activities

On a yearly basis at least two to three activities were offered at LAU, and the Director was also involved in activities outside the University all in the same field as an invited speaker to conferences or a Key Note or as an Executive Educator in Family Business Management and Corporate Governance.

In addition, the School of Business is reaching out to students by offering a special program in the field.

Students majoring in Business Management with an emphasis on “Family and Entrepreneurial Business” are offered the following courses along with their core business requirements:

  • Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management
  • Family Business Management
  • Small Business Start-up Laboratory
  • Venture Growth strategies for Entrepreneurs

These undergraduate courses cover topics in family businesses in general with an emphasis on management issues, entrepreneurship, franchising, governance, leadership, strategy, succession problems, corporate governance, financing options, and expansion strategies.

2012

  1. Follow up on the Network
  2. Organization of a presentation on Changing Attitudes at LAU- Byblos in August 2011.
  3. Participation in an academic conference in China and presentation of a paper on: Conflict: an Episodic Model in Family Businesses in October 2011.
  4. Organization of a session for the Family Business Network on “How Family Businesses become high performing with the participation of ICTN on December 6, 2011.
  5. Organization with Ideas Factory an activity at LAU Beirut on “CEO Mentoring” with Peter Fisk on March 21, 2012.
  6. Conference on Building Family Business Constitutions on March 29, 2012 at LAU Beirut.
  7. Participation in the Campden Conference to lead and organize a panel discussion on Internationalization in Family businesses to be held on May 21-22 in Beirut.
  8. Supporting and organizing the “Be a Competition,” with the Junior Chamber International Lebanon JCI on May 15, 2012 at LAU Beirut.
  9. Supporting a project on Entrepreneurship in Spring 2012
  10. Social activities.

2011

  1. Establishment of a Network
  2. Conference on Succession Planning on December 08. 2010 at LAU Beirut.
  3. Participation in the Campden Conference in Abu Dhabi on Family Offices.
  4. Participation in the AlAthar Conference in Syria on Family Corporate Strategy.
  5. Participation in the Corporate Social Responsibility Conference, Beirut.
  6. Participation in the Food Industry Conference in Beirut on the Challenges facing family businesses.
  7. Round Table for Entrepreneurship Education organized by Stanford University in Abu-Dhabi, and sponsored by USAID.
  8. Participation in the IFEN German Conference on Secrets of the Success of the Family Enterprise.
  9. Participation in the European Academy of Management Conference
  10. Participation in a Women’s league conference at AUB. Beirut.
  11. Participation in a think-tank on the future of family businesses.
  12. Organization of a half- day presentation on the Gucci Case at LAU- Byblos.
  13. Organization of a presentation on Changing Attitudes at LAU- Byblos.
  14. Social activities.

2010

  • Lost with the transfer of data from computer to another. (But will retrieve them hopefully with the help of IT.)

2009

  1. A seminar on “Sibling and Cousin Relationships in a Transition Process”. The program was sponsored by BBAC and Pepsi, and led by the world renowned expert in the field of Family Business Management: Dr. Joe Astrachan from the US. It was held on Friday March 06, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. till 4:00 p.m. in Room 607 Science Building, Byblos campus.
  2. A seminar on “Recession Management Short Term and Growth Strategy Long Term”. The program was led by Dr. Hermut Kormann from Germany. It was held on Tuesday March 24, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. till 4:00 p.m. in Room 607 Science Building, Byblos campus.
  3. A panel presentation was given in Egypt at the Arab- German Summit entitled: “Bilateral Perspectives on Corporate Governance”.
  4. The panel speakers included:
    • Dr. Josiane Fahed-Sreih, Associate Professor of Management, Director, Institute of Family and Entrepreneurial Business, Lebanese American University
    • Mrs. Mona Bawarshi, President, Jazairi Transport, Lebanon
    • Mr. Ulritch Grillo, Germany
    • Mr. Mazen Darwazah, Vice Chairman and MENA CEO, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Jordan
    • Mr. Joe Achkar, Consultant, Sabis International School, Lebanon
    • Mr. Oussama Al Zamel, Al Zamel Group, KSA
    1. Mr. Alfred Karcher, President, Karcher Germany
  5. A presentation was given in Syria in on November 22, on ”    Corporate Family Strategy” at the Syrian Business Council conference.
  6. A presentation was given at the Young Presidents’ Organization in Beirut, Lebanon on March 7, 2009 on “Succession Planning”.

2006-2008

  • Lost with the transfer of data from computer to another. (But will retrieve them hopefully with the help of IT.)

2005

  1. Conference on “Crisis Management and the Reinvestment of Family Assets” held on the Byblos Campus, on March 17, 2005. The conference was well attended, and the speakers came from Kuwait, Jordan, Switzerland and the US.
  2. A workshop on ” Strategic Management for Family Firms in Crisis: Creating System’s Thinking” held on the Byblos Campus on March 16, 2005, and led by Dr. David Pistrui, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Family Business Management at De-Paul University, Chicago
  3. A seminar on “Profit Improvement, Crisis Management and the Reinvestment of Family Assets” led by crisis management consultant Gary Brooks from the US. New York.
  4. A seminar on ” Women in Business: Encouraging Entrepreneurship” organized by IFEB and sponsored by “Church Women United” in the US, activity held on the Byblos campus under the High Patronage of the First Lady of Lebanon, Mrs. Andree Emile Lahoud.
  5. The Institute of Family and Entrepreneurial Business at LAU is currently organizing a seminar on “Creating and E-Platform” on the Byblos campus for Entrepreneurs who have started their businesses, and for those in the liberated areas of the South. It will accommodate participants by providing transportation services to facilitate commuting from the South. The participants will then be able to connect to the UNCTAD trade point, through the Ministry of Economics and Trade.

2004

  1. A conference on the Byblos campus to promote transparency and accountability. The conference was entitled: Corporate Transparency and Good Governance: Prerequisites for Equity Funding, Institutionalization, and Growth. It was held on October 15, 2003
  2. Research on Family Businesses in Lebanon
  3. A new issue of the Family Business Newsletter
  4. A conference on “Planning for Ownership Continuity and Management Succession” held on the Byblos campus on April 22, 2004
  5. A seminar on “Planning for Ownership Continuity and Management Succession” led by Dr. James Lea from the US. on April 23, 24, 2004
  6. Implementation of part of the complete E-platform project. The Institute received a grant of $10 000 to conduct one phase of the E-platform. The training of the trainers phase was conducted by sending trainers to the Ministry of Economics and Trade to be trained on how entrepreneurs can connect to the UNCTAD trade point. The following phases will consist of training on how to prepare e-catalogues and conduct e-commerce. It also includes training on how entrepreneurs can use computers
  7. Presentations and participation in conferences on family Businesses, in Kuwait, the US, Scotland and Beirut.

2003

  1. A special meeting with Dr. Joe Astrachan on the Beirut campus discussing “Shareholders Meetings”.
  2. A half-day conference on the Byblos campus on Governance to promote transparency and accountability in Private and public Organizations.
  3. A collection of case studies on different family businesses highlighting the cultural perspectives of these businesses in Lebanon and the Middle East.
  4. A research on family businesses in Lebanon
  5. The third issue of the Family Business Newsletter
  6. A seminar on Family Businesses on September 18-19- 20, 2003 sponsored by USAID through the CSRD, with the participation of Mr. Khalid Kanoo an Advisory Board member from Bahrain and a reference in the field of Family Businesses.
  7. Presentations and participation in conferences on family Businesses, in Dubai, London, Saudi Arabia, Beirut with LMA, Kaslik University, to the  Rotary members, and  at Jounieh on educational orientation and at LAU on private sector economies.

2002

  1. The UNIDO/IFEB Project on Revitalizing SME’s in South Lebanon, the remaining series of 10 seminars offered, for a total of 20 seminars in South Lebanon. The Institute was the recipient of the UNIDO funds amounting $100,000 winning over AUB and others to manage a project in South Lebanon to revitalize SMEs in the liberated areas. The project was conducted over a two years period and was a major success.
  2. A Conference on Success through Governance in Lebanese and Middle Eastern Family Businesses: Corporate and Family Governance held at the Phoenicia Hotel and well attended by prominent family business leaders.
  3. A seminar on: Family Business Policies held at the Phoenicia Hotel and led by: Albert Jan Thomassen from the Netherland.
  4. A seminar on: Corporate Governance held on the LAU Beirut campus and led by Dr. James Darazsdi.
  5. The establishment of case studies on different family businesses highlighting the cultural perspectives of these businesses in Lebanon and the Middle East.
  6. Collection of data on family businesses in Lebanon
  7. The second Issue of the Family Business Newsletter.

2001

  1. A workshop organized jointly with the Institute of Human Resources on: Human Resources management in Family Firms on March 1, 2002.
  2. A seminar on Building Family business Policies led by Dr. Joe Astrachan, a reference in the family business management field.
  3. Data compilation.
  4. United Nations Industrial Development Organization Project on Revitalizing SMEs in South Lebanon. A series of 10 seminars offered in South Lebanon.

2000

  1. A Workshop on May 2000 entitled: “Pressing issues facing family businesses”.
  2. A seminar led by Dr. Bob and Dr. Joyce Brockhaus on: Understanding the Unique challenges facing family businesses.
  3. Participation in the FFI conference in Washington D.C.
  4. Retaining the Middle East coordination for the family Firm Institute in the US.