
Family Business Audiocast Episode 56: Dr. Jan-Philipp Ahrens on AI, Big Data, and Family Enterprise Research
Dec 3, 2025
37:33
Dr. Jan-Philipp Ahrens, leading scholar at the University of Mannheim, discusses his groundbreaking research at the intersection of family enterprise, artificial intelligence, and sustainability. As a fifth-generation family business successor, Jan brings personal insight to his academic work leading an interdisciplinary research group that combines data science with traditional business research. The conversation explores how family businesses navigate succession, governance, and digital transformation while maintaining their unique values. Jan introduces his intelligent entity view theory, examining how family wealth office structures and organizational memory influence innovation and sustainability outcomes in an evolving global economy.
00:00 Introduction to Dr. Jan-Philipp Ahrens
02:00 The interdisciplinary research group
03:30 Research focus on sustainability and AI
05:00 Fifth-generation family business experience
08:00 Personal journey through crisis management
12:00 Academic research methodology approach
15:30 Big data and AI in business research
18:00 Sustainability challenges for firms
21:00 Family office management and governance structures
24:00 Innovation and digital transformation
27:30 Female leadership and board diversity
30:00 The intelligent entity view theory
34:00 Organizational memory and routines
36:00 Future of AI integration in firms
00:00 Introduction to Dr. Jan-Philipp Ahrens
02:00 The interdisciplinary research group
03:30 Research focus on sustainability and AI
05:00 Fifth-generation family business experience
08:00 Personal journey through crisis management
12:00 Academic research methodology approach
15:30 Big data and AI in business research
18:00 Sustainability challenges for firms
21:00 Family office management and governance structures
24:00 Innovation and digital transformation
27:30 Female leadership and board diversity
30:00 The intelligent entity view theory
34:00 Organizational memory and routines
36:00 Future of AI integration in firms
