This book investigates the critical factors that enable family businesses to achieve multi-generational longevity, particularly within challenging industries. It examines why some family firms thrive for decades while others falter, challenging the common belief that survival beyond the third generation is exceptionally rare. By focusing on the German paper and pulp industry, a sector known for its volatility and tradition, the study contrasts successful, long-standing companies with those that did not survive. The research utilizes in-depth interviews with family owners and industry experts to construct a theoretical framework for understanding enduring success.

suggests this book offers a rigorous, empirically grounded analysis of family business succession and longevity. By focusing on a specific, challenging industry and employing qualitative research methods, it aims to provide actionable insights for practitioners and academics alike. The framework developed is intended to illuminate the complex interplay of business strategy, industry dynamics, and family dynamics that contribute to sustained success across generations. The findings likely emphasize that long-term survival is an attainable goal, often deeply integrated into the core mission of family-owned enterprises.