Digital Support for Succession in a Family Business

Authors

Ana Repas
University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences
Miha Marič
University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences
https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6689-7944
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18690/um.fov.5.2025.3

Synopsis

Succession in family businesses is a complex process that extends beyond the formal transfer of ownership or leadership roles. It encompasses the transmission of knowledge, values, and the company’s long-term vision. In the digital era, technological support is gaining importance by enabling transparency, efficiency, and strategic continuity. Despite these opportunities, digital transformation also introduces challenges, particularly in adapting modern technologies to traditional family business environments. This chapter explores the role of digital tools in one of the most sensitive stages of family business development – transferring leadership to the next generation. The empirical section is based on an in-depth interview with the deputy director of DINES d.o.o., Domen Deu. The analysis focuses on leadership transfer, digital tool usage, and preserving organizational knowledge. Findings reveal that, following the appointment of a new manager, the company gradually began introducing digital solutions, while formal ownership transfer is still ongoing. Based on these insights, proposals for improvement include establishing a digital knowledge management platform and enhancing digital skills across all employee generations.

Author Biographies

Ana Repas, University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences

Ana Repas holds a bachelor's degree in Information Systems Organization and is currently pursuing her master's degree at the Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Maribor, in the program Organization and Management of Information Systems. She is actively involved in the academic environment as a tutor, demonstrator, and member of the student council. Her areas of expertise include the development and application of information systems, digital transformation, decision support, and improving user experience by designing efficient and user-friendly solutions.

Kranj, Slovenia. E-mail: ana.repas@student.um.si

Miha Marič, University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences

Miha Marič, Ph.D., is a researcher in the field of leadership, management and organizational sciences. He holds a Ph.D. from the Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana. He is currently employed as an associate professor at the University of Maribor’s Faculty of Organizational Sciences. His research interests are power, leadership, organizational behavior, human resource management, organization and management. He is the author of numerous original scientific articles, professional articles, papers at scientific conferences, scientific monographs, and was an editor and reviewer. He also participates in research projects and consulting work.

Kranj, Slovenia. E-mail: miha.maric@um.si

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Volume

Izzivi prenosa vodenja na naslednjo generacijo v družinskem podjetju

Pages

83-124

Published

August 1, 2025

Categories

Copyright (c) 2025 University of Maribor, University of Maribor Press

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Repas, A., & Marič, M. (2025). Digital Support for Succession in a Family Business. In M. Marič & D. Deu (Eds.), Izzivi prenosa vodenja na naslednjo generacijo v družinskem podjetju (pp. 83-124). University of Maribor Press. https://doi.org/10.18690/um.fov.5.2025.3