In the margins of business history : Family, upbringing, and continuity in two Swedish dynasties

The dissertation addresses the question of power structures in corporate families. Two leading Swedish corporate dynasties during the pre-first world war era are examined from an intersectional perspective: the Ekman and the Wallenberg families. The Wallenberg family is still situated in the absolute top of Swedish business community, while the Ekman family has lost its position as a leading dynasty.Traditionally, research about family firms has been shaped by the understanding of a public/private dichotomy. The focus has often been on formal processes and arenas for corporate management in the “public sphere”. Another focus area in studies about family businesses is the matter of succession of leadership. This dissertation draws on critical research that has put the public/private dichotomy into question regarding the everyday operation of family businesses. In line with this research, the present study argues for a more inclusive understanding of this type of corporation, where the “private sphere” may also be considered an arena for management in the family firm. An important aspect in building and developing a dynasty is biological reproduction and the upbringing of future successors in order to secure continuity. Furthermore, this study seeks to deepen such an understanding by examining the significance of social reproduction for management and continuity in these families.Three of the articles investigate the interplay between family and business by highlighting the importance of social reproduction in order to establish successful management and continuity. Here, the role of the children and the spouse of the corporate owners proves to be of great significance. The fourth article problematizes the role of archives in knowledge production regarding family firms and argues for a greater awareness about what narratives are enabled by these archives.At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 3: Accepted. Paper 4: Manuscript.