In recent years, buy-outs have become an increasingly frequent solution to succession problems in family businesses. Despite a dramatic surge in the number and total volume of these transactions, their consequences for the bought-out companies are yet poorly understood.

Considering this background, Oliver Klöckner investigates the changes resulting from buy-outs in family businesses in the areas of corporate governance, instruments of managerial control, and financial practices. A comprehensive literature review contrasts the characteristics of family businesses with those of non-family businesses after a buy-out. This theoretical discussion is complemented by an in-depth analysis of 17 bought-out family businesses in Germany. The detailed analysis reveals a multitude of changes, which can be subsumed under three main effects: First, companies are professionalized. Second, corporate processes are more directed towards economic goals, i.e. economized. Third, agency conflicts arising from the separation of ownership and management are reduced.

Autorentext
Dr. Oliver Klöckner promovierte als wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter am KfW-Stiftungslehrstuhl für Entrepreneurial Finance bei Prof. Dr. Dr. Ann-Kristin Achleitner. Er arbeitet heute in der Strategieabteilung von Telefonica o2 Germany.

Zusammenfassung
In 2005, a fierce discussion raged over the question whether private equity companies make money by firing people or whether they really create value. Dr. Oliver Klöckner and I conducted the most comprehensive study on this topic by that time. Despite data restrictions, we concluded that despite job cuts in some companies financed by private equity, the general effect on employment was positive, net of all losses. Employment growth was particularly dynamic in bought-out family businesses and exceeded growth in all other types of companies backed by private equity companies. When presenting that study to politicians, media, and fellow scholars, we were repeatedly asked for an explanation for this exceptionally strong job creation in family businesses a question we were unfortunately not able to answer back then. Against this background, Dr. Klöckner started his research project which resulted in this thesis. He inquired into the consequences of buy-outs in family businesses. In this thesis, he develops a comprehensive framework of analysis and bases his theoretical discussion on the comparison of the major theories for family businesses and private equity financed companies. In a detailed review of the literature, he contrasts the distinct characteristics of family businesses with the typical characteristics of bought-out companies. Based on this theoretical foundation, Dr. Klöckner conducted 32 personal interviews with managers of bought-out family businesses and investment managers backing these transactions.

Inhalt
Theoretical foundation.- Empirical foundation.- Background of buy-out transactions.- Changes in corporate governance.- Changes in instruments of managerial control.- Changes in financial practices.- Conclusion, implications and outlook.