Prepared Exclusively for FFI Members

Applied Research and the 2086 Society
February 01, 2019
Introduction
I

n this issue of FFI on Friday, we want to introduce you to the 2086 Society, its founding members, and a new initiative that is being launched to promote applied research in the field.

Background
For more than 30 years, FFI has been a leader in advancing the field of family enterprise through its core strategies of education, research, and public awareness.
With a clear focus on advancing the FFI mission to be the most influential global network of thought leaders in the field of family enterprise, past boards and FFI management have worked hard to create major innovations that set the standard for the industry—notably the Global Education Network (GEN), Family Business Review (FBR), and FFI Practitioner as shining examples.
FFI is at a critical point in advancing its strategy.
In each of our core pillars—education, research and public awareness—we are positioned to take a major leap forward that builds on the tremendous success of the last few years. With recent leaps forward in our education strategy (GEN) and public awareness (FFI Practitioner and the new website), there is a particularly timely opportunity to develop a strategy to sponsor cutting edge, relevant, multi-disciplinary applied research in the field that might not otherwise be created through traditional academic and/or market research channels.
Previous Edition
FFI’s collaboration with the University of Vermont Grossman School of Business’ Family Enterprise Case Competition.
The 2086 Society
In May 2018 the FFI board of directors approved forming the 2086 Society—named for what will be the 100th Anniversary of the founding of FFI.
Founding members of the 2086 Society are recipients of the FFI Richard Beckhard and Barbara Hollander Awards, as well as others from the board with a particular interest in this initiative. The founding members were asked:

  • To identify major research themes that are critical to advancing the field now that the importance of family enterprise is clearly recognized worldwide and to choose one or more topics each year for which RFPs would be created.
  • To review the responses to the RFPs and select the winning candidate or candidates.
  • To provide funding for this research and for growing the patient capital of FFI by committing to a three-year membership at the $10,000/year level.
What’s happened?
The Society met in November and again in early 2019 to identify several topics that the members consider critical to advance applied research in the field. These topics were identified as those that might not be included in academic or market research and as those that could ignite the field, as did the conceptual articles published in FBR in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
What can you do?
As part of narrowing the suggested topics, we are requesting your input on seven topics identified by the 2086 Society as to their usefulness in advancing applied research in the field. Please go here for the survey which includes the topics and a brief description of each. The deadline for responses is February 14.
We are grateful to the individuals who accepted this challenge for 2018 and hope that others will join in 2019. They are Patricia Annino, Fredda Herz Brown, John Davis, Nancy Drozdow, Judy Green, and Paul Karofsky.
Patricia Annino
Rimon, P.C.
Fredda Herz Brown
Relative Solutions, LLC
John Davis
Cambridge Family Enterprise Group
Nancy Drozdow
CFAR
Judy Green
Family Firm Institute
Paul Karofsky
Transition Consulting Group
Dates to Remember
February
02.07
Miami Regional Reception
March
03.01
Deadline for Best Dissertation Award submissions
03.18
London Regional Committee Meeting
03.08
Last day to begin FFI GEN online coursework for Q1 Capstone webinars
03.31
Last day to register for the 2019 Miami conference Winter Special rates