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High Q on‐chip inductors and low loss on‐chip interconnects and transmission lines are an important roadblock for the further development of Si‐based technologies at RF and microwave frequencies. In this paper, inductors are realized on standard Si wafers (20 Ω.cm) using MCM‐D processing. This consists of realizing two low K dielectric layers (BCB) and a thick Cu interconnect layer. Inductors with 5 μm lines and spaces are demonstrated for a 5 μm thick Cu layer, hereby leading to a very compact and high performance inductors: Q‐factors in the range of 25 to 30 have been obtained for inductances in the range of 1 to 5 nH. It is also shown how the Q‐factor and resonance frequency vary as a function of the inductor layout parameters and the thickness of the BCB and Cu layers. The realized 50 Ω CPW lines (lateral dimension of 40 μm) have a measured loss of only 0.2 dB/mm at 25 GHz.

A flexible and realistic linguistic assessment approach is developed to provide a mathematical tool for synthesis and evaluation analysis of nuclear safeguards indicator information. This symbolic approach, which acts by the direct computation on linguistic terms, is established based on fuzzy set theory. More specifically, a lattice‐valued linguistic algebra model, which is based on a logical algebraic structure of the lattice implication algebra, is applied to represent imprecise information and to deal with both comparable and incomparable linguistic terms (i.e. non‐ordered linguistic values). Within this framework, some weighted aggregation functions introduced by Yager are analyzed and extended to treat these kinds of lattice‐value linguistic information. The application of these linguistic aggregation operators for managing nuclear safeguards indicator information is successfully demonstrated.

Corporate governance (CG) has mainly focused on highly dispersed corporations. This paper has two objectives: to enrich the debate in this area and to contribute to the increasing body of literature by exploring the CG of the listed family firms in Greece; and to place the CG practices of Greek family firms within the international debate, especially in the framework of a small open capital market. In addition, this paper presents an attempt to quantify the compliance of family firms with international best practices.

The methodology consisted of the creation of a questionnaire reflecting the Greek CG code and other well‐regarded CG codes, like the OECD principles. The authors constructed a CG rating system and applied it to distinguish family from non‐family firms.

The main conclusion is that the family firms lack an efficient CG mechanism and they demonstrated poor governance compared with non‐family firms.

The results disclose the potential strengths and weaknesses of the existing CG framework of the family‐owned firms. The methodology applies in a small open economy and may have significant implications in other similar capital markets.

Methodologically, the merit of the exercise lies in its approach toward the creation of “collectively subjective” weightings, and is valuable to policymakers and academics.

This chapter takes a socioemotional wealth (SEW) perspective to explain the adoption of human resource (HR) practices in family-controlled firms. Previous studies on human resource management (HRM) in family firms have focused only on a small range of HR practices and have rarely utilized strong conceptual frameworks. As a result, these studies have overlooked important factors that contribute to the distinctiveness of HRM in these organizations. Based on ample evidence that shows family businesses' preference for non-economically motivated objectives collectively labeled as SEW, we propose that the presence of SEW influences HR practices in family firms.

Consequently, we reexamine existing empirical evidence of the determinants of HRM in family-controlled firms under the SEW approach. We also reinterpret existing theoretical models of family-controlled firms and their implications for HRM under the SEW umbrella. Our final goal is to establish an integrated framework through a set of sound propositions on HRM in family businesses. By integrating the literature, we aim to fill theoretical gaps in our understanding of the determinants of HR practices in the family business context and direct future research in this area.

This study investigates the impact of the CEO's financial literacy on family SMEs' growth, as well as the moderating role of the generational stage on this relationship.

The study is based on survey data of Spanish private family firms and utilizes a second source of data, the SABI database by Bureau Van Dijk. The authors run ordinary least squares regressions and use both the base and the partition approaches to test the hypotheses.

The analysis reveals a positive association between the CEO's financial literacy and firm growth. However, this relationship is not uniform across generations. The CEO's financial literacy-firm growth relationship becomes weaker for first- and third or subsequent-generation family firms while becoming stronger for second-generation family firms.

This study adds the financial literacy of the CEO as a novel individual-level determinant of family firm growth. It also shows that CEOs do not always use their financial literacy to its full potential to foster growth. More specifically, the extent to which financial literacy leads to firm growth is found to be conditional on the generational stage of the family SME. The obtained findings are valuable for family SMEs intending to hire a new CEO, encouraging the financial literacy of the current CEO and educating the next generation of family members.

The purpose of this paper is to provoke a reflection on how sustainability may be measured to predict future performance to inform diverse stakeholders in their assessment of organizations.

Conceptual.

Propositions have been developed for considerations in elaborating future measures.

A rigorous examination of the pertinence of current sustainability measures and assumptions has been carried out to provide a foundation for the future development of forward-looking sustainability measures. Integration of stakeholder management capabilities and environmental, social and governance measures to support sustainable business development strategies.

To advance the scholarly understanding of family firm management by outlining the Australian experience with “real” differences between family and non‐family firms.

Utilising data from 2,190 Australian SMEs, industry based analysis focused on whether family businesses differ significantly from non‐family businesses within the framework of multivariate regression models that control for size and age of the firm.

The level of difference with non‐family firms is industry specific, varied, and generally lower than reported in the past. Manufacturing is the industry with most differences.

There are fewer differences between family and non‐family firms than we have been led to believe. Methodologies that control for context are essential. Studies are needed that explain why family firms differ more with non‐family firms in some industries than they do in others. Studies that uncover the “real” differences between large family and non‐family firms are also called for as the results shown here may be specific to SMEs. Agency theory may be more appropriate to large rather than small firms.

The level of context and size of dataset utilised in this study is rarely seen in family business research. Its value lays in bringing “real” Australian differences to the attention of scholars, supporting the need for better methodologies, demonstrating the importance of industry and size as determinants of context and outlining the heterogeneous nature of family firms.

Drawing on indigenous theory of Ibn Khaldun, the rise and fall of States, this paper explores the agency of women entrepreneurs in family business in Bahrain and the underlying enablers in supporting and facilitating the exercise of this agency. This study attempts to move beyond the Western-centric studies to reflect and bring to light the unique institutional settings of the Gulf States.

The research builds on a rich qualitative single case of a family business based in Bahrain. The single case study methodology was motivated by the potential for generating rich contextual insights. Such an approach is particularly valuable to gain a more holistic and deeper understanding of the contextualized phenomenon and its complexity.

In this study the authors show how women entrepreneurs take two different paths to enter and become involved in the family business, the barriers they are subjected to and the active role they play in dismantling the challenges to the extent that they become the main mediators between the family business and central institutions in society.

By incorporating indigenous theory with Western family business concepts, the study extends existing understanding of women entrepreneurs in family business by underscoring the agency that women entrepreneurs have in “doing context” and the role that women play in strengthening common cause and destiny within the family and the business by building and drawing on different forms of loyalty.