Unlike other economies, family businesses in China are greatly affected by the derived Confucian culture, excessive marketization, as well as the seemingly endless institutional supervision by a transitional Chinese government. China has a strong historical legacy, devoted to patriarchal values and strong family-centered traditions.

This volume explores the social foundations and historical legacies of families, business families, and family businesses in China. It begins with an overview of a household, family, and clan in ancient China before an examination of the economic, social, and cultural functions that the family system served in Ancient China as well as the four unique features that distinguish the family system in ancient China from those in western societies. It later discusses the evolution of the family system and the rise of family business before the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949. Finally, it evaluates the family system before and after the "Open-up and Reform" in 1978. This interdisciplinary work, incorporating sociological, anthropological, and institutional contexts pertaining to China, offers researchers the first advanced perspective of the development of family firms in China.

1. Introduction

2. Household and Family
3. Family: economic, social, and educational functions
4. Characteristics of the Chinese family system
5. Society and family clans in modern China
6. Transformation of family clans in modern China and the rise of family enterprises
7. The two cycles of development of family enterprises in modern China
8. The relationship between modern Chinese family clans and the state
9. Dynamics of the family system before and after the Reform era
10. Family enterprise before and after the Reform era
10. Oversea Chinese family business: comparative studies
11. Conclusion: family and business in China.