HarperCollins presents Beyond Three Generations: The Definitive Guide to Building Enduring Indian Family Businesses by Navas Meeran, M.S.A. Kumar, Firoz Meeran, George Skaria

Published by Harper Business
Hardback | Non-Fiction | 256 pp | INR 599
Available wherever books are sold | Releasing on 6 January 2024

NEW DELHI, Jan. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --  Beyond Three Generations is a blueprint for the longevity of Indian family businesses and reveals critical drivers that help create lasting organisations.

"Indian business is dominated by family-run enterprises. How should these be managed effectively so that both the business and the family thrive for generations? Beyond Three Generations provides great insights through a dozen real-life cases. They are not massive businesses, but companies doing very interesting and sometimes great things. Unlike many management books, Beyond Three Generations eschews vague theory and generalization. Instead, we get granular details of real businesses and families doing real things. I loved the book. It's a must-read for anyone interested in family business or, indeed, Indian management."
- Naushad Forbes, Co-Chairperson, Forbes Marshall, and Chair, Ananta Aspen Centre

ABOUT THE BOOK

Various global studies over the decades have shown that only a handful of family businesses survive beyond the third generation, while more than 90 per cent flounder. Why? What is the secret sauce that keeps these organizations going strong from one generation to the next? Can their models be successfully replicated by other family businesses?

For the first time, two entrepreneurs, a family business consultant and a senior journalist — all experts in their fields — have teamed up to understand why only some family businesses survive beyond the third generation and how other businesses can follow the same blueprint for longevity.

With a special focus on micro, small and medium enterprises, Beyond Three Generations studies twelve family-run enterprises across industries. While not traditionally large businesses, all of these — Aravind Eye Care System, Bhima Jewellers, Dodla Dairy, Eastern Condiments, ELICO Ltd, Evolve Back, Gera Developments, House of Anita Dongre, IBS Software, OmniActive Health Technologies, Popular Automobiles and Sandu Pharmaceuticals — are well recognized within their sectors, mostly with turnovers of more than 1,000 crore.

The authors document how these companies started small, built solid foundations, set up systems and processes, and established a culture that would last. They use their keen insight and expertise to reveal not only the critical drivers that help create lasting organizations but also how one can balance the two key dimensions to building any family business-family and business.

Navas and Firoz Meeran say, "A major challenge for family businesses is that of the dilemmas they face while introducing professionalization, setting up governance systems or while succession planning. With this book, we hope to spark a conversation among family business members, professional CEOs and CXOs of such companies and other related stakeholders."

M.S.A. Kumar says, "My four decades of management experience with multinationals like Sandoz, Bayer and a family-managed business, AV Thomas, coupled with ten years of advising family businesses came handy in providing my expert take at the end of each chapter. The entry and grooming of the next generation bring their own challenges to businesses. We have addressed this and many other areas that play a pivotal role in creating enduring organizations."

George Skaria says, "As a writer on Indian family businesses for over three decades, I have observed that one of the critical yet seemingly obvious challenges that they face is longevity. Yet, most of them fail to find answers to the same. Through this book, we aim to provide that in some measure."

Sachin Sharma, Associate Publisher, HarperCollins says, "Beyond Three Generations addresses a pertinent issue that most family businesses grapple with, which is how to create enduring organizations. For the first time, we have two business owners, a consultant and a senior journalist partnering as authors to bring a refreshing perspective on family business management. Irrespective of the size of a business, every family-run enterprise must read and benefit from this book."

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PRAISE FOR BEYOND THREE GENERATIONS

"The authors have highlighted the reasons most businesses do not survive beyond three generations. A must-read for those in family businesses who want their organizations to continue for generations."
- Anu Aga, Former Chairperson, Thermax Ltd and Teach for India

"There are two trends that are shaping the future of business. First, the power of family-controlled middle market companies. Second, the dynamism that resides in many of India's smaller cities. This book is an ode to the deep insights of India's seemingly old-fashioned family businesses that have conquered new frontiers."
- Gaurav Dalmia, Chairman, Dalmia Group Holdings

"The authors have taken a lot of effort to collect real-life experiences of twelve pan-India family businesses across different verticals and presented them in such a fine manner that it is easy for readers to grasp the importance of first-generation entrepreneurs introducing professionalism, step by step, into the business. This must be continued in an aggressive manner by the second generation. Only then can a family business survive and thrive for three generations and beyond."
- Kochouseph Chittilappilly, Founder, Chairman and CEO, V-Guard Industries

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Firoz Meeran is the vice chairman of Group Meeran, ME Meeran Foundation. He heads the family office of Group Meeran and is also the managing director of Scoreline Sports.

George Skaria is a senior journalist, communications specialist, and author. He has been an editor with Businessworld, Business Today, Financial Express and Business Standard.

Navas Meeran is the chairman of Group Meeran, ME Meeran Foundation; president of the Kerala Football Association; and former chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Southern Region.

M.S.A. Kumar is a family business adviser and a CEO coach, with expertise in managing family dynamics when scaling up.

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ABOUT HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS INDIA

HarperCollins is celebrating its 31st anniversary this year, having begun publishing in India in 1992. HarperCollins India publishes some of the finest writers from the Indian Subcontinent and around the world, publishing approximately 200 new books every year, with a print and digital catalogue of more than 2,000 titles across 10 imprints. Its authors have won almost every major literary award including the Man Booker Prize, JCB Prize, DSC Prize, New India Foundation Award, Atta Galatta Prize, Shakti Bhatt Prize, Gourmand Cookbook Award, Publishing Next Award, Tata Literature Live! Award, Gaja Capital Business Book Prize, BICW Award, Sushila Devi Award, Sahitya Akademi Award and Crossword Book Award. HarperCollins India also represents some of the finest publishers in the world including Harvard University Press, Gallup Press, Oneworld, Bonnier Zaffre, Usborne, Dover and Lonely Planet. HarperCollins India has won the Publisher of the Year Award four times at Tata Literature Live! in 2022, 2021, 2018 and 2016, and at Publishing Next in 2021 & 2015. HarperCollins India is a subsidiary of HarperCollins Publishers.

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