• Investment World
• eWorld
• Brand Line
• Mentor
• Life
• Brand Quest
• The New Manager

Stocks

• Quotes
• SE Diary
• Scoreboard
• Open-End Mutual Fund

Cross Currency

• Rates
  
  

Shipping

• Ports
  
  

Archives

• Yesterday
• Datewise
• Resources
• In Focus
• In Depth
• Events 2007

Group Sites

• The Hindu
• The Hindu ePaper
• Business Line
• Business Line ePaper
• Sportstar
• Frontline
• The Hindu eBooks
• The Hindu Images

G. Naga Sridhar

Hyderabad, Feb. 2 In Indian families, the son-in-law and other in-laws are, naturally, the most important persons. But can you imagine that for some family business houses, involvement of a son-in-law in business affairs is a strict taboo?

This is true, if the opinions of captains of family business houses attending the first Asian Conference on Family Business at Indian School of Business here are any indication to go by.

“I will say a strict ‘no’ to any role to sons-in-law or other in-laws in running the business. Over a period of time, this could lead to sibling rivalry and a sense of deprivation among siblings or members of the family,” a top executive of a Chennai-based automobile major told Business Line.

“I don’t mind giving a role to my daughter in her individual capacity but will not allow the son-in-law to assume any formal role,” she explained.

For Mr Manu Chandaria, Chairman, Chandaria Group, Kenya too, in-laws are not a welcome sign. “While we ensure the same standard of living to all members of the family (including son-in-law and other in-laws) I will also say no to their role in the business,” he said.

“But over a period, we have been trying to bring our girls into business.”

Mr Mano Selvanathan, Chairman of Sri Krishna Corporation Ltd and Ceylon Finance and Securities Ltd, says involvement of in-laws might lead to “politics in family and business” and can de-track the performance.

“However, I only have two growing sons and can think of the issue later.” .

Interestingly, Mr G.V. Prasad, Chief Executive Officer of Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and son-in-law of Dr K. Anji Reddy, Chairman, Dr Reddy’s sees himself as an exception to the ‘no son-in law’ rule.

“I am an exception. For the company, however, I am a CEO only,” he said.

More Stories on : Events | Management

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Farmers seek assurance from Dow Chem on R&D centre

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line