Which characteristics appear to predominate in the Al-Mana family?

Would you expect this characteristic to survive the death of the head of the family? This case traces the strategy and describes the organization, management style, and functional policies of a family-owned hospital operating in the oil-producing province of Saudi Arabia.

Main Thrust of the Case In Saudi Arabia, family firms predominate the business scene. They are subject to many misconceptions among which the most important are:

(a) they are not large enough to survive;

(b) they are not professionally managed, particularly at the top where managers are skilled in almost everything except marketing; and

(c) they often lack an explicit strategy.