Sweden

Ikea, the Swedish retailing giant owned by the Kamprad family, announced on 14 January that its net profit for 2010 had increased by 6.1% year-on-year, but said it plans to expand cautiously in 2011.

A family-owned company has become the joint global leader in the wine and spirits industry. Through its €5.6 billion acquisition of Absolut vodka owner Vin & Spirit, Pernod Ricard, which is owned by the Ricard family, joined Diageo at the top of the drinks industry.

Absolut is the number one premium vodka in the world and the top selling premium spirits brand in the US. It is seen as a “unique asset” to Pernod Ricard’s drinks portfolio, which includes Glenlivet, Malibu and Jacob’s Creek wine.

When a business is passed from one generation to another, the newcomers are faced with immense pressures and responsibilities. Gordon Cairns meets two next generation members from contrasting cultures who have taken different routes to the top

For the next generation, taking over the family business does not only bring financial rewards and a boost to one's self esteem, it also brings the responsibility of securing the company that has been nurtured by generations of your family and, more importantly, taking this business forward in the modern world.

Scott McCulloch is editor of Families in
Business magazine.

Foreign direct investors have a welter of industrialised countries to choose from but many markets stand in stark economic contrast with each other. Scandinavian countries are no exception

Investing in Scandinavia virtually means investing in Sweden. The Swedish government, the press and local businesses treat foreign investors as they do Swedish investors. The media is quick to point out foreign ownership, however, when layoffs or plant shutdowns are announced.