Family business centre launched
May 10 2004
Family businesses now have a specialist resource at their disposal after the opening of a specialist centre at the University of Gloucestershire.
The Centre for Families in Business has been launched by the University of Gloucestershire and business adviser Grant Thornton to provide family-owned businesses, who represent half of all UK businesses, with opportunities to learn new skills, access information and advice and meet other family-run businesses to exchange ideas.
The centre will deal with the “unique challenges” that are faced by families running their own businesses, such as succession, tax planning, exit strategies, transition and conflict resolution. It is available to all businesses nationwide and also abroad.
Secretary for State of Trade and Industry, Patricia Hewitt, commented, "family businesses make a vital contribution to the UK economy, and the Government, the European Commission and other agencies are increasingly recognising their role. Evidence suggests that family businesses possess unique qualities and commercial advantages; they are able to react to changing market forces very quickly and successfully. They also present a range of problems or challenges, which may require different and sensitive handling.”
For more details on the centre, call 01242-532857, email familybusiness@glos.ac.uk or click here to visit the website.
(10/5/04)