Grahams - The Family Dairy is one of
the top 100 Scottish family businesses
Family A
business
expert
reveals
economic
impact of
Scotland’s
‘Top 100’
N EXPERT IN family business
has revealed the economic
impact of Scotland’s ‘Top 100’
to mark Scottish Family Business
Week, 2-6 October 2017.
Professor Claire Seaman, Chair in family
business at the University, has been
working with Family Business United
Scotland, Carbon Financial and a range
of industry partners over a six month
period to reveal ‘The Scottish Family
Business Top 100’ and the significant
contribution the sector makes to the
country’s economy.
A first for Scotland, this report has shown
that the country’s 100 most profitable
family-owned companies generate a
combined £1 billion of pre-tax profits
and have a collective annual turnover of
£16.6 billion. The study has also shown
that the sector employs over 100,000 staff
and contributes 11 per cent to Scotland’s
onshore gross domestic product (GDP).
In Scotland, SMEs account for 99.3%
of all private sector enterprises and 63%
of these are family businesses.
Research into the family business sector
in Scotland is fundamental to improving
the understanding of the sector and the
contribution these businesses make
Professor Seaman helped compile the
report along with Family Business United
Scotland and Craig Corporate. As part
of her role as Chair of Family Business
at QMU, Professor Seaman undertakes
impactful research in enterprise and family
business and works with businesses
across Scotland.
Commenting on The Scottish Family
Business Top 100 report, Professor
Seaman said: “Family firms are the
backbone of the Scottish economy
and this latest research proves that the
sector is a significant employer, revenue
generator and contributor.
“Research into the family business sector
in Scotland is fundamental to improving
the understanding of the sector and the
contribution these businesses make; and
more importantly, to demonstrate to key
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QMYOU / Sustainable Business
decision makers and influencers that these
businesses are important to Scotland, and
therefore need to be given support and
recognition to continue to flourish.
“All our research and work with
businesses emphasise the importance of
family owned and managed businesses.
That’s why we’re tailoring some of our
educational provision around family
business at QMU.”
Family Business United Scotland
founder, Paul Andrews, added: “Family
Business United Scotland champions
family businesses whatever their size,
sector or age. Our research dispels
many myths about family businesses
being small or lacking in ambition. The
top 100 have demonstrated impressive
abilities to respond to market forces and
to innovate and evolve in order to remain
current, relevant and profitable.”
QMU offers two postgraduate study
programmes in family business, which
were developed following five years of
industry consultation with organisations
such as Scottish Family Business
Association, Family Business United
Scotland and a range of family-run
Scottish businesses.
MSc International Management &
Leadership with Family & Smaller
Enterprises and MBA Family & Smaller
Enterprises offer experienced business
professionals, as well as recent business
graduates and those who are returning
to the family business after studying for
an unrelated degree, greater insight into
the value, practice and function of family
businesses. Topics covered in the courses
include family business succession,
governance, behavioural finance and risk.
For more information on the family
business programmes at QMU, visit
w w w. q m u . a c . u k o r c o n t a c t
Professor Claire Seaman at QMU,
E: [email protected] ❒