Book excerpt: 'This is a very business-like book in its approach. It has an impressive global reach in its authorship, focal areas and use of evidence; it hits all the major practical challenges of family firms in a spirit that is fresh and current; and it deals with the cutting-edge themes and issues that are uppermost in the minds of owners, executives, advisors and researchers in the field.' – Nigel Nicholson, London Business School, author, Managing the Human Animal, Family Wars and The 'I' of Leadership Acclaim for the first edition: 'The authors have taken a lot of pain in putting this handbook together. As the name indicates, this is an excellent handbook for researchers.' – Global Business Review 'The Handbook of Research on Family Business has collected and synthesized a broad variety of topics by notable researchers who share a common dedication to family business research. This Handbook provides a comprehensive treatment that advances the frontiers of knowledge in family business, provoking valuable thoughts and discussion. The Handbook will serve as both an authoritative and comprehensive reference work for researchers investigating family enterprises.' – A. Bakr Ibrahim, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada 'Although family business research is a young discipline it is both necessary and important. For the wellbeing and future development of our society the survival of prosperous and passionate family business entrepreneurs is indispensable. In order to help the families in business to better understand how to succeed with their enterprises we need qualified and updated research. This book is the answer!' – Hans-Jacob Bonnier, Bonnier Business Press Group, Sweden and 6th Generation Chairman of the Family Business Network – International 'This Handbook is a unique compilation of the most important and the best recent family business research. The field has grown so rapidly that this effort will be a mark for the research to follow. The Handbook of Research on Family Business will be the reference for scholars in family business for many years to come. It will also stimulate new ideas in research.' – John L. Ward, IMD, Switzerland and Northwestern University, US During the previous decade, the multi-disciplinary field of family business has advanced significantly in terms of advances in theory, development of sophisticated empirical instruments, systematic measurement of family business activity, use of alternative research methodologies and deployment of robust tools of analysis. This second edition of the Handbook of Research on Family Business presents important research and conceptual developments across a broad range of topics. The contributors – notable researchers in the field – explore the frontiers of knowledge in family business entrepreneurship and stimulate critical thinking, enriching the repository of theoretical frameworks and methodologies. The Handbook takes a systematic and rigorous approach by providing in-depth insights into the dynamics of family business, its context and the significant role of stakeholders. Ultimately, this scholarly compendium of extant family business papers is an invaluable resource for researchers, educators, family business consultants, family business owner-managers and students.