The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Associate Professor Dora Lau on 262 China Listed-Family Firms: Larger Demographic Differences (Age, Gender & Educational Background) in Family & Non-Family Members Have More Benefits Due to Power & Status of Family Managers (Including Faster Decision-Making) Complementary with Information, Knowledge, Expertise & Skills from Non-Family Managers, But Problems Include Unfair Treatment from Controlling Family Can Lead to Dissatisfaction Including Lack of Willingness or Motivation to Collaborate with Family Managers, Study Titled Top Management Team Faultline Size & Family Firm Performance
14th August | Hong Kong
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Associate Professor Dora Lau on 262 China listed-family firms – Larger demographic differences (age, gender & educational background) in family & non-family members have more benefits due to power & status of family managers (including faster decision-making) complementary with information, knowledge, expertise & skills from non-family managers, but problems include unfair treatment from controlling family can lead to dissatisfaction including lack of willingness or motivation to collaborate with family managers. The study is titled “Top Management Team Faultline Size & Family Firm Performance” led by Associate Professor (Teaching) Dora Lau in the Department of Management at CUHK Business School in collaboration with Li Weiwen of Sun Yat-Sen University, He Ai of South China University of Technology and Li Xiaotong of Qingdao University of Science and Technology. Announcement (14/8/25): “ New research from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School reveals that bigger divides between family and non-family executives in Chinese family firms can actually help boost performance— provided these firms foster fairness and collaboration. Family firms are one of the major driving forces of the Asian economy, but relying only on family members to run the business isn’t enough for lasting success. A new research from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School suggests that bigger divides between family and non-family executives may actually be the secret to better performance … … The study, led by Professor Dora Lau Chi-sun , associate professor (teaching) in the Department of Management at CUHK Business School, found that when family and non-family managers differ more in age, education, and background, firms often make quicker decisions and craft more creative strategies. Analysing 262 Chinese family firms listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen, the research shows that these “dividing lines” spark both dominance complementarity—where authority is clear and family managers typically hold greater influence—and information & knowledge complementarity —where different perspectives lead to richer ideas. But the benefits disappear when outsiders face unfair treatment or when local market intermediaries, like auditors or consultants, are underdeveloped. Professor Lau advises family firms to seek non-family professional managers who bring fresh skills and viewpoints, and to treat them equitably.
“ The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Associate Professor Dora Lau on 262 China Listed-Family Firms: Larger Demographic Differences (Age, Gender & Educational Background) in Family & Non-Family Members Have More Benefits Due to Power & Status of Family Managers (Including Faster Decision-Making) Complementary with Information, Knowledge, Expertise & Skills from Non-Family Managers, But Problems Include Unfair Treatment from Controlling Family Can Lead to Dissatisfaction Including Lack of Willingness or Motivation to Collaborate with Family Managers, Study Titled Top Management Team Faultline Size & Family Firm Performance “
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Associate Professor (Teaching) Dora Lau in the Department of Management at CUHK Business School: “A well-defined power hierarchy allows the lower-status subgroup to defer to the higher-status subgroup, facilitating faster decision-making, clearer strategic direction, and more consistent execution. Together, these dynamics contribute to smoother and more efficient team operations … … Rather than prioritising similarity or loyalty, controlling families should focus on recruiting professional managers who bring fresh perspectives and expertise that complement the capabilities of family members.”
CUHK – Founded in 1963, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a forward-looking comprehensive research university with a global vision and a mission to combine tradition with modernity, and to bring together China and the West. CUHK teachers and students hail from all around the world. CUHK graduates are connected worldwide through an extensive alumni network. CUHK’s mission is to assist in the preservation, creation, application and dissemination of knowledge by teaching, research and public service in a comprehensive range of disciplines, thereby serving the needs and enhancing the well-being of the citizens of Hong Kong, China as a whole, and the wider world community.
About CUHK Business School – CUHK Business School comprises two schools – Accountancy, and Hotel and Tourism Management – and four departments: Decisions, Operations and Technology; Finance; Management; and Marketing. Established in Hong Kong in 1963, it was the first business school to offer BBA, MBA, and Executive MBA programmes in Asia. Today, CUHK Business School offers 11 undergraduate programmes and 22 graduate programmes, including MBA, EMBA, MAcc, MSc, MPhil, DBA, and PhD. The school currently has more than 5,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students from more than 30 countries and regions. In the Financial Times Executive MBA Ranking 2024, CUHK’s EMBA was ranked 22nd in the world. At more than 45,000, CUHK Business School has the largest number of business alumni among universities and business schools in Hong Kong, many of whom are business leaders.
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Associate Professor Dora Lau on 262 China Listed-Family Firms: Larger Demographic Differences (Age, Gender & Educational Background) in Family & Non-Family Members Have More Benefits Due to Power & Status of Family Managers (Including Faster Decision-Making) Complementary with Information, Knowledge, Expertise & Skills from Non-Family Managers, But Problems Include Unfair Treatment from Controlling Family Can Lead to Dissatisfaction Including Lack of Willingness or Motivation to Collaborate with Family Managers, Study Titled Top Management Team Faultline Size & Family Firm Performance
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