OverviewThe main assignment for this course sends you “out into the field” to investigate a family business and business family of your own choosing. Your task is to find someone who is willing to provide you with details on his/her business and family, and to then develop a report on the business and how you could help them. Undergraduate student can work on their own or a group of two.If you are part of a family business the report can be about your business or a business of your choice. Last term’s students learned a lot by selecting their own family businesses for this assignment. For those of you who are not part of a family enterprise, I strongly encourage you to approach a business you find intriguing. I encourage you to tie the business you choose with your Field Interview assignment. Please note that if you plan on conducting any interviews for this assignment, you must be approved beforehand and that you complete a Consent Form beforehandWritten ReportPart A represents a summary of the past and present of the business. It should include two components:Situation descriptionan overview of your chosen family enterprise (e.g., founding date, major products/services, extent of family involvement in terms of ownership and employment)an identification of the organization’s stage of d
evelopment on all three dimensions of the conceptual framework discussed in class (i.e., ownership, family, business)a description of the key issues or problems currently facing the firm and/or family members (there need not be an issue/problem for each dimension)Problem/issuediagnosisan analysis of the underlying cause(s) of the current issues or problems facing the firm or family membersone or more of the different conceptual frameworks covered in in classin analyzing the business family, you should consider any family characteristics discussed in class that you deem relevant to your analysis (e.g., enmeshment-disengagement, communication patterns, conflict resolution patterns, sibling rivalry, life stage, etc.)Part B represents the conclusion to your report, the present to future, and should include two components:Recommendationsspecific suggestions for addressing the problems/issues identified in Part A of your analysis (and/or for addressing any new problems/issues that have emerged since writing Part A)Supporting Rationalea discussion of why your specific suggestion make sense, given the key constituents and dynamics within the ownership, family and business spheres of your focal family enterpriseThe total report should be 10 to 15 pages in length, plus relevant appendices (if applicable).