The kick-off meeting of the "Family Business Initiative" focused on cooperation approaches between science and business on topics such as succession, innovation and growth of Saxon family businesses.
The kick-off meeting of the "Family Business Initiative for Innovation and Succession in Saxony (FBI@HSZG)" on January 19 at the Görlitz campus of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences (HSZG) discussed approaches and ideas on how science and business can cooperate successfully on the topics of succession, innovation and growth of Saxon family businesses. With four concrete solutions within the "Family Business Initiative", the HSZG wants to dynamically tackle the topics of innovation, entrepreneurial practice, entrepreneurial spirit and succession planning in Saxony together with the regional economy.
The Saxon State Ministry of Economic Affairs has calculated that 1,500 companies are due to be handed over every year in the Free State of Saxony by 2030. Due to demographic developments, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a suitable successor. It is highly relevant in terms of economic policy that as many business successions as possible are successful - as a guarantee for Saxony's innovative capacity and economic strength.
"Family businesses are a major component of economic development - here locally, here in the region. These companies also have strong ties to the region. This interaction - we have our roots here, we develop from the region and create growth for the region - is, in my opinion, a successful symbiosis. We should put our energy into further strengthening (regional) family businesses," says Dr. Katrin Leonhardt, CEO of Sächsische Aufbaubank, one of around 25 participants at the launch event of the "Family Business Initiative". Octavian Ursu, Lord Mayor of Görlitz, Thomas Zenker, Lord Mayor of Zittau, as well as entrepreneurs and representatives of several business associations, including the East German Business Forum (OWF) and the Dresden Chamber of Industry and Commerce, also took part in the event.
"Family businesses are a central anchor of stability for our regional economy. With the university's 'Family Business Initiative', we support entrepreneurs and successors, empower young talents to become entrepreneurs and create strong networks - including an annual lighthouse conference as a platform for exchange, inspiration and collaboration. At the same time, as a university, we develop technologies and innovations for new business areas. In this way, we are actively shaping structural change, ensuring succession, strengthening innovative strength and making a sustainable contribution to regional development," says Prof. Dr Sophia Keil, Vice President Research, Transfer and International Affairs.
The HSZG presented four specific steps of the "Family Business Initiative" in particular. Firstly, an annual "Conference of Saxon Family Businesses" is to be initiated as a lighthouse event with an annual focus topic - as a showcase for Saxon entrepreneurship and technology transfer as well as a platform for networking and dialog. In the area of knowledge transfer and application, the HSZG - together with the regional economy - is striving for a curricular and modular further development of study courses and the expansion of subject-specific seminars. The region could benefit here in particular by strengthening entrepreneurship among the younger generation. As a third step, a planned "Saxon Entrepreneur Trend Barometer" and a 10-year panel under the motto "Now & NextGen" can provide targeted support for the regional economy and identify current and key challenges. Last but not least, the presentation of an annual prize - the Saxonia Young Leaders Award for outstanding succession in Saxony - would attract attention and media coverage for young entrepreneurs, which could also be of supra-regional benefit for the region.
But what characterizes family businesses and what are the weak points for family-run companies in Saxony? "I think what distinguishes family businesses above all is a long-term perspective. A family entrepreneur often thinks about handing over their business to the next generation, but not in the short term for the next quarter, but really on a long-term scale. And a particular challenge for eastern Saxony is that the family businesses here tend to be smaller than in the western federal states. They also don't have such a high capital base. On the other hand, they are very innovative and have to constantly reinvent themselves. And limited resources are known to promote creativity," says Dr. Stefan Jakschik, Managing Partner of ULT AG, giving an overview of the status quo in Saxony. "Creating a successful succession is not just a brief moment in the history of a company, but sometimes a lengthy process that can take years," notes Claudia Peschel-Goltz, Managing Partner of Görlitzer Hanf- und Drahtseilerei, in the sometimes very lively discussion.
"We can be very happy that family businesses exist. There are many small and medium-sized companies in East Saxony and Upper Lusatia, a large number of which are family businesses. The 'Family Business Initiative' has come together to enable them to develop further, e.g. to better organize succession planning - and this is entirely in the interests of the local authorities," says Thomas Zenker, Lord Mayor of Zittau. Octavian Ursu, Lord Mayor of the city of Görlitz, adds: "We have a great interest in the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences presenting and positioning itself here. "
Achim Oehlgarth, Chairman of the East German Banking Association, sees the HSZG's "Family Business Initiative" as a very good basis for further networking activities and cooperation: "The 'Family Business Initiative' offers a very good basis for making family businesses in the Free State more visible - with greater appreciation and strategic depth. The approach of anchoring entrepreneurship more firmly in science, the public and politics is particularly positive. It will now be crucial to bring together the existing players and institutions in Saxony more closely in order to develop academic, practical and communicative clout," says Oelgarth.
"Saxony is the entrepreneurial state of eastern Germany. The many family businesses in particular, many of which were founded after reunification, are now facing decisive challenges in the context of succession and further growth. As the HSZG, we are grateful that we were able to attract 20 representatives of renowned intersectoral organizations as part of the 'Family Business Initiative' in order to sound out concrete solutions, offers and synergies of joint commitment. We have made a start - now we need to build on this momentum together," says Prof. Dr. René Sadowski from the Faculty of Business Administration and Engineering Management at the HSZG.
This momentum was successfully used immediately after the launch event of the "Family Business Initiative". On the same day, the HSZG also presented the initiative at the New Year's reception of the city of Görlitz - in the presence of around 300 guests and representatives from business, science, society, the media and politics. Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer was also a guest.
Text: Frank Leberecht
Photos: Social Media HSZG
