A Case Study of a Family Business: Kawakin Holdings Co., Ltd.

Abstract

This paper presents a case study of a family business, focusing on Kawakin Holdings Co., Ltd. Founded as a casting company in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, the company recently celebrated its 75th anniversary. A defining characteristic of the company is its ability to balance business transformation in response to environmental changes with the inheritance of technical capabilities, all while prioritizing relationships with the local community and employees during the succession process. Furthermore, it stands out as a unique case for achieving privatization through a Management Buyout (MBO), leveraged by its strong technical foundation.