Questions We Can Help to Answer
Instructions:

“Compared to many other industrialised nations, there is a striking number of very large family businesses in Germany. So much so that 41% of all large companies in the country are family owned. Among the top 500 family firms in Germany, 170 have sales of more than €1 billion ($1.14 billion). The best known include Volkswagen, Aldi, Henkel, and Bertelsmann. They operate on an entirely different scale from many businesses in the Mittelstand.”

Michael Finnigan, 2016


Provide a 2500-word report that critically analyses Volkswagen’s business, specifically it's heritage; ownership structure; performance in relation to its main competitors; culture and values. By doing so, identify at least 3 challenges that emanate from the governance; ownership; management and culture of the firm. Performance related challenges should be a consequence and not the main challenge.

Furthermore, provide lessons that your own family business could learn from this as they seek to minimise potential risks. (my family business specifies in machinery production)

Note

The analysis should be anchored around practical and theoretical concepts 

Avoid descriptive narratives and move towards a more analytical and reasoned piece of work. 

Varied perspectives should be used to reach particular conclusions.