Established in 2005, FERC is dedicated to developing a community of scholars interested in conducting research to further our understanding of family enterprises and creating usable knowledge in this field. The goals of FERC include:

• Building usable knowledge on family enterprises;
• Challenging scholars to enhance the rigor, relevance, and reach of research; and
• Creating partnerships among and between scholars and practitioners focused on family business issues.

The 2019 conference will focus on the role of family firms in social and sustainable innovation. In its 1987 report entitled Our Common Future, the World Commission on Environment and Development defined sustainability as the “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” This definition places family enterprises as natural conduits to carry on this global mission as transgenerational equity lies at the core of these enterprises.

This commitment affects and is affected by organizational goals, strategies, corporate and family governance, human resource management, and virtually every sub-field of business and management. Considering the importance of social and sustainable innovation for family enterprises, surprisingly little is known about social entrepreneurship, sustainability strategies and practices of these enterprises. This conference aims to explore and discuss related issues.