Istanbul Kültür University Family Business and Entrepreneurship Application and Research Center (AGMER) organized the “10th Family Business Congress” on 15-16 May 2024 at Akıngüç Auditorium and Art Center in Bakırköy campus Ataköy building.
The opening speeches of the congress were made by Prof. Dr. Mahmut Paksoy, our President of AGMER, Prof. Dr. Fadime Yüksektepe, our Rector, and Mustafa Gültepe, President of the Türkiye Exporters Assembly.
“The First University-Level Congress on Family Businesses”
Stating that this congress is the first congress to address family businesses at the university level, Prof. Dr. Mahmut Paksoy, President of the Family Business and Entrepreneurship Application and Research Center (AGMER), said, “In this congress, where the problems and solution proposals of family businesses will be discussed and people will express their ideas, ‘Transformation in Family Businesses’ will be discussed.
Challenges in exporting and solution proposals will be discussed as sub-topics. Our second panel will discuss being a woman in family businesses and its challenges, advantages and disadvantages. In our third session, we will discuss what family businesses are doing and at what stage they are at regarding 'Artificial Intelligence', which is a current issue. In the fourth and final session, 'Sustainability with its Financial and Legal Aspects' will be discussed. People from both the business world and the academic world will participate. The first day will be like this. On the second day, there will be more academic papers.”
“Being a Woman Administrator Title Has a Special Place for Our University”
Stating that we attach great importance to family businesses as a university, our Rector Prof. Dr. Fadime Yüksektepe said, “We are also a family business. Family businesses have a very valuable place for our country and our development. In this changing world, technology is advancing very quickly. Sustainability is gaining importance, there are artificial intelligence studies. With all of these, family businesses also have to undergo a transformation.
Today, thanks to this symposium, both our academics and experts in the field will discuss all the issues in detail and offer important strategies for family businesses. We hope that such discussions will provide an improvement for the progress of both our country and our family businesses. Since we, as Istanbul Kültür University, attach great importance to gender equality, the topic of 'Being a Woman Administrator' has a special place for us. We have many women administrators at our university, and there are many women administrators like me. Women managers may face various difficulties in working life. In addition to a busy home life due to their duties in our traditions, they also face difficulties in business life. Women's empathy, diligence and programmatic nature lead them to success. In this sense, I am always on the side of women administrators, and I am ready for any kind of support for their development. As a university, our entire team is ready to support anyone who needs support in this regard. Especially for women managers in family businesses.”
"Professionalism is more important than Being a Boss, we should let young people take the seat when the time comes"
Stating that they exceeded the export goal in 2023, Mustafa Gültepe said, “We ended the year with 255.4 billion dollars in exports. And this year, our goal is to export 267 billion dollars of goods and 110 billion dollars of service exports. As for 2028, our goal is to export 375 billion dollars of goods and 200 billion dollars of service exports. I hope that we will gather a new momentum in exports.
Our well-established and corporate businesses have a significant role in this process, only with such companies can we take our place in added value and global competition. Family businesses have a very special role in the country's economy. And because of this reason, family businesses need grow. We see family businesses as the dynamo of exports. With that, first thing we must do is to extend the life of such businesses and ensure their longevity. Unfortunately, family businesses have a short lifespan because they fail to be passed on to the next generations. For the longevity of such businesses, harmony and coordination must be ensured within the family. On that note, I would like to highlight the extreme importance of establishing Family Businesses and Family Council. The Family Council is to establish a consultation mechanism on many issues, including the education of the new generation to preserving the family's integrity of values. Unfortunately, it is not possible to improve the professional rules within the business without first achieving unity and integrity in the family. A Family Constitution and the rules to be followed should be put in writing to be abided by. Professionalism is more important than being a boss. We should let young people take the seat, when the time comes."
The first day of the congress with the main theme of "Transformations in the Business World", was held in 4 sessions under the topics "Overseas Expansion Process of Family Businesses", "Being a Woman Manager in a Family Business", "Artificial Intelligence Integration in Family Businesses" and "Sustainability in Family Businesses with Legal and Financial Dimensions".
On the second day of the congress, papers were presented by important names of the academy and the business world.
