NCFB Partners
AIB
AIB has been a partner of DCU’s National Centre for Family Business (DCU NCFB) since 2015. This partnership enables NCFB to conduct research on key areas of importance to family business. One such area is succession intentions. With sponsorship from AIB Plc, a year-long research project will examine the succession intentions of Ireland's next-generation family business members.
NCFB Director Dr Eric Clinton, Associate Director Dr Catherine Faherty and postdoctoral researcher Dr Michelle Cowley-Cunningham will conduct nationwide surveys and interviews with higher education students from family business backgrounds. The project aims to uncover and promote best-practice actionable insights for family businesses and their financial backers.
NCFB is partnering with Dr Ian Smyth of Ulster University, Dr Linda Murphy of University College Cork, and Dr Roisin Lyons of the University of Limerick on this project. Students from family business backgrounds attending these higher education institutions will be invited to share their next-generation insights via surveys and interviews over the next academic year. The research will engage with candidate participants drawing on a student partnership initiative. Participating students will be deemed Knowledge Co-Creators and Knowledge Co-Facilitators so as to avail of ‘link & learn’ events and share in the project’s success.
A suite of practitioner and research journal reports will be produced to support family businesses to adapt, survive and thrive into the future. Findings will better inform the field of family business research as well as the Irish Government and EU policy positions on family business succession. To find out more about the project or get involved email familybusiness@dcu.ie