Family Owned Business Institute

Research Scholar's Abstracts 2006 - Reg Litz

Toward a Theory of Inter-generational Creativity with Help from the Marsalis Family
Reg A. Litz
2006

In 2001, Reg Litz and Robert Klevsen published a paper on the unique challenges of creative and innovative behavior within a family setting. This study sought to address the long overlooked topic of creativity within family firms. It focused in-depth on an individual family; specifically that of jazz legend Dave Brubeck. His family successfully collaborated inter-generationally within the domain of jazz improvisation. The paper was well received, receiving best paper awards from two leading outlets of family firm research.

The proposed research project is to revisit the issue of inter-generational creativity and innovation by testing and refining the propositions advanced in the study of Dave Brubeck. This new study will focus on another family of jazz musicians, the Marsalis family, which includes father Ellis, and sons Wynton, Brandford, Jason and Delfaevo. The intent is to explore the degree to which the relational dynamics and behaviors, identified at work within the Brubeck family, can be generalized to other families seeking to innovate.