The Raya Strauss Family for Business Research Center

General
On 3 December 2014 a four-hour meeting was held at the Faculty of Management to define the vision, goals, values and proposed activities of The Raya Strauss Family Business Research Center. Participants in the meeting were Prof. Orly Yehezkel, Prof. Boaz Ronen, Prof. Seev Hirsch, Azi Gerstner, Mr Israel Eliahu, Ms Buli Dayan, Ms Tamar Landsberg, Adv. Amir Halevy, Dr Dan Weiss and Ms Nava Michael-Tsabari. The meeting was moderated by Ms Malka Yanai. Following are the main outcomes of the brain storming at the meeting.

Vision
The Raya Strauss Family Business Research Center will act to develop the academic and practical knowledge of family businesses in Israel and throughout the world, focusing on advancing the special characteristics of family businesses in Israel, including innovation and multiculturalism.

Goals
To develop awareness of family businesses as a distinct and particular research area
To develop the professionalism and knowledge of family businesses, families, individuals, consultants and other interested parties
To promote practical applied research
To promote the writing of case studies and best practices
To make information on the subject of family businesses accessible to all interested parties, particularly information in Hebrew
To develop understanding, tools and practical information for family businesses, to enable them to thrive and prosper
To strengthen the Israeli economy by developing tools to be used by family businesses in Israel
To be an address to which family businesses owned by Jews throughout the world can turn

The values promoted by the center:
Professionalism
Innovation
Multiculturalism
Accessibility

Practical perspectives
The center will have a strong practical focus that will be expressed as follows:

Teaching
The center will strive to integrate courses on family businesses into all the bachelor’s and master’s programs of study at the Faculty of Management
The center will offer executive courses to interested parties (families, consultants) within the framework of LAHAV Executive Development programs at the Faculty of Management
The center will initiate the integration of content touching upon family businesses into existing courses and frameworks

Research
The center will encourage and promote academic research
The center will encourage and promote applied research
The center will encourage the institutionalization and writing of best practices and case studies
The center will initiate an annual academic conference that will begin a tradition

Collaboration
The center will act to advance collaboration with academic institutions, with experts in various fields and with organizations dealing with family businesses throughout the world.