The family business is different from other businesses. A report by the International Family Enterprise Research Acadamy (IFERA) in 2003 reveals that family businesses account for over 96% of all business establishments in the United States, 93% in Italy, 90% in Brazil, 70-80% in other countries (IFERA, 2003, Thai & Chong, 2008). However, the contribution made by family businesses to a country’s economy and society is not fully recognised as yet.
FBNPA collaborates with world-class researchers and academics to build and maintain a comprehensive body of qualitative and quantitative data pertaining to the particular framework of family businesses and the context in which they operate.
Leveraging on various resources, we collate information on the performance of family businesses in the economics of different countries, which enables you to make regional and international comparisons and sound decisions for potential business expansion and partnerships.
Family Business Network Pacific Asia (FBNPA) and International Family Enterprise Research Academy (IFERA) are pleased to invite applications for the inaugural FBNPA-IFERA Pacific Asian Research Grant – 2010. The research grant aims to support doctoral dissertations and masters thesis on Pacific Asian family business.
Detailed submission guidelines are provided below.
Call for Applications
Call for Grant Applications
Purpose
FBNPA and IFERA seek to facilitate and promote the advancement of family business research by encouraging sound, scholarly, and rigorous research practices. The objective of FBNPA's research initiatives is to build a repository of knowledge on Asian family businesses and their context - research that will deepen understanding of and generate new insights on Family Business in Asia.
The FBNPA-IFERA Pacific Asian Research Grant Applications aims to encourage and acknowledge the next generation of family business scholars whose research is deemed to hold significant promise to increase knowledge in the broad area of family business. FBNPA-IFERA invite postgraduate student research proposals for the Year 2010, in areas related to Family Business in Asia. This includes (but is not limited to) research works on governance, active citizenship and advocacy, institutional reform, government-family business linkages, corporate social responsibility, entrepreneurship, succession and inter-generational change, organisational change, innovation and technological development, strategic management, and ownership & control patterns.
Grant Amount
Successful applicants will be awarded the following amounts:
US$1,000 for Masters students engaged in writing a masters thesis
US$5,000 for PhD students engaged in writing a doctoral dissertation
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants of the grants have to be students pursuing a Masters/PhD degree in on family businesses in the Asia Pacific region. The research project should be an original unpublished empirical research in English examining issues related to Family Business. There is no restriction on the research philosophy employed. The methodology of the research should be consistent with the best practices of the research philosophy employed.
Evaluation Mechanism and Criteria
Applications will be evaluated by a panel of distinguished professors in the field and two FBNPA/IFERA Board Members. Applications will be evaluated according to:
- The originality, quality, importance and impact of the proposed study as it relates to issues in Family Business
- Adherence to the best practices of the research philosophy and tradition employed
- The relevance of the study to Pacific Asia
Submission Timeframe
Applications are open till 15 May 2010. Students are to submit their applications with their supervisor's endorsement (see application form) to FBNPA. Grant-winning applicants will be announced and honored at IFERA's 10th Annual World Family Business Research Conference in Lancaster, UK, 7-10 July 2010.
Conditions of Award
Applicants who receive the grant should submit a copy of the entire completed project (i.e. complete dissertation or thesis) and as well as a concise summary to FBNPA. The completed project should acknowledge the support received in the form of an FBNPA-IFERA Pacific Asian Research Grant. Successful recipients may be invited to present their research work at high-level FBNPA/IFERA conferences, workshops and academic roundtables. FBNPA will be allowed to reproduce or report the summary and parts of the report on its website, annual reports, and any other document or medium for the purpose of informing its stakeholders on the study findings. In all these publications, the authorship of the research will be clearly attributed to the applicant.
Application Form for the FBNPA Call for Postgraduate Student Research Grant Applications
Send a brief cover letter stating that your submission is for consideration for the FBNPA Research Proposal Grant and include the following required materials:
- Name of Student Applicant
- Email, Telephone Number, and Mailing Address of Student Applicant
- Name of University, Department, Course of Study
- Title of Research Proposal
- Projected Cost and Breakdown of Research
- Name and Endorsement (comments and signature) of Supervisor
- Brief Curriculum Vita
In addition:
Masters Student applicants please provide:
A Proposal Summary (approximately 800 words) describing details of the research project. (e.g. title, research questions, hypotheses, methodology, relevance to Family Business in Asia).
PhD Student applicants please provide:
- A detailed summary (max. 20 pages double-spaced in 12-point font) outlining key aspects relevant to the research philosophy employed. In particular, research objectives, leading research question(s), outline of theory driving the research or shown to be potentially developed, relevant literature review, study justification, and other aspects relevant to the standards of the research philosophy employed, as well as the refereed journal(s) that will be targeted.
- A one-page abstract (single-spaced in 12 point font).
Completed application forms are to be submitted as a softcopy file in PDF or MS WORD format in an attachment via email to research@fbnpa.org. Please include in the softcopy file your (the applicant's) last name e.g. Chen.pdf. The subject line in the email should read "FBNPA-IFERA Pacific Asian Research Grant - 2010 Application". No hard copies will be accepted.