This case explores the downfall of a century-old family-owned and managed firm in Taiwan called Tatung. It follows its history from a construction company firm with large land holdings in Northern Taiwan to one of the most well-known makers of electronic appliances.

This case explores the downfall of a century-old family-owned and managed firm in Taiwan called Tatung. It follows its history from a construction company firm with large land holdings in Northern Taiwan to one of the most well-known makers of electronic appliances.

The Sackler family and their 100%-owned company, Purdue Pharma, produced OxyContin pills by the millions, amassing a vast family fortune in the process. Those painkillers were responsible for a devastating opioid epidemic in the United States. For a business family, the “Oxy-Sacklers” are distinguished by their greed and lack of moral compass.

Founded in 578 AD, Kongo Gumi was a family-owned business until 2006, when the firm went into liquidation to pay its creditors. While its demise is briefly covered, the case study is focused on its longevity. A renowned builder of traditional temples, in a country where these are major tourist attractions, Kongo Gumi has left an indelible mark on Japanese culture and history.

The case is about the Hoshi Ryokan, a hot springs hotel in Japan established more than 1,300 years ago, that is among the world’s oldest family enterprises. Owned and managed by a descendant (or adopted son) of the founder for 46 generations, it is a popular with domestic and international tourists alike.

The case is about Birkenstock, the renowned German shoemaker, and two turning points in its 248-year history: the owner’s decision to bring in a professional CEO in 2012, and the sale of a majority stake to a French-American investment firm in 2021.

The case study is about the Japanese carmaker Suzuki. The 100-year company was founded at the peak of Japan’s silk-production industry in the early 20th century. Michio Suzuki (1887-1982), a gifted inventor, started tinkering with weaving looms and in 1920 founded the Suzuki Loom Manufacturing Company in the coastal village of Hamamatsu.

The case is an example of how a family can control a large conglomerate – TECO Electric & Machinery, a Taiwanese engineering business – yet with almost no ownership stake.

The case covers the ongoing Wang family dispute over the inheritance of YC Wang, the billionaire founder of Formosa Plastics Group, one of Taiwan’s most prominent industrial conglomerates, who died in 2008 at the age of 91 without leaving a will.

This case caps the long-running civil dispute over Ireland’s illegal state aid to Apple Inc. In September 2024, the European Union Court of Justice ruled that Apple must pay Ireland €13 billion in back taxes. This was a victory for the outgoing Commissioner of Competition, Margrethe Vestager, who had steadfastly fought for this outcome in the face of adversity.