How Are We Doing?How Are We Doing?

Taking a snapshot of the state of family businesses in the United States in 2012 isn’t an easy task. Family businesses represent approximately 90 percent of all businesses in the United States and range in size from mom-and-pop shops to the likes of Ford and Walmart. Fortunately, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has done it for us in the form of its 2012 family business survey.¹ Although it’s a worldwide survey, the results give us a good sense of how family businesses are doing in the United States.

The Survey

PwC interviewed almost 2,000 family businesses across the world, from both developed and emerging markets, representing sectors as diverse as manufacturing, retail, automotive and construction. The respondents couldn’t have been more ...