Themes and Issues in the Recognition of Family Businesses in the United Kingdom

Abstract

This article identifies the core themes and issues associated with ownership preferences in United Kingdom family firms. These themes and issues are then tested against the evidence from a variety of data collection methods used to assess the responsiveness of family enterprises to the new United Kingdom public equity market, the Alternative Investment Market, or AIM. Evidence suggests that a recognition process is emerging of family firms as a potential market segment in the United Kingdom. The introduction of AIM, as an example of this recognition process, demonstrated the need for a strong local presence on the part of service providers, and the willingness to invest time to thoroughly understand this new type of client.