Research output per year
Research output per year
Personal profile
Research interests
Family Business
Entrepreneurship
Corporate Entrepreneurship
Short biography
Alexander Kessler is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Family Business at the Department of Management at WU Vienna University of Economics and Business. He received his doctorate (2001) and postdoctoral qualification/Habilitation (2008) from WU Vienna.
His research comprises family business and (corporate) entrepreneurship topics with current foci on innovation and digitalization in family businesses and the functioning and management of business families.
His work has been published in international scientific journals including Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Family Business Review, Journal of Family Business Strategy, Journal of Family Business Management, and British Journal of Management. He is a member of the review board of Family Business Review and regularly reviews for journals including Journal of Family Business Strategy, Journal of Small Business Management, Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, and Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice.
Curriculum Vitae
Post Doctoral Qualification (Habilitation), Business Administration, WU Vienna
Award Date: 22 Dec 2008
Doctorate, Social and Economic Sciences, WU Vienna
Award Date: 31 Dec 2001
Master, Social and Economic Sciences, WU Vienna
Award Date: 25 Feb 1999
Senior Lecturer, Department of Global Business and Trade
Jul 2014 → Sept 2021
Researcher
Jul 2014 → Sept 2021
University Assistant
2002 → 2008
Contract Assistant
1999 → 2001
Head
Jan 2022 → …
Associate Professor, Management
Oct 2021 → …
External positions
Head of Master Program Entrepreneurship - Executive Management , Fachhochschule Wien der WKW
Jan 2013 → Jun 2014
Head of Competence Team for Entrepreneurship, Fachhochschule Wien der WKW
Jan 2009 → Jun 2014
Expertise
- Family Business
- Entrepreneurship
- Corporate Entrepreneurship
Publications
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Conceptualizing digitalization orientation as a strategic posture – How to boost the impact of digital technologies in businesses: A qualitative good practices approach
Keßler, A., Frank, H. & Fuetsch, E., 2025, In: Technological Forecasting and Social Change. 213 (2025), 123997.Publication: Scientific journal › Journal article › peer-review
Open Access -
Intellectual property management in family firms: a systematic literature review and future research directions
Bachner, C., Kessler, A. & Prügl, R., 1 Dec 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Journal of Family Business Management.Publication: Scientific journal › Journal article › peer-review
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Born-again global internationalization in family businesses as a process: a dynamic capabilities perspective in the context of socioemotional wealth
Keßler, A. & Zipper-Weber, V., 2023, In: Journal of Family Business Management. 13, 4, p. 1366-1391Publication: Scientific journal › Journal article › peer-review
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Exploring the Digitalization Orientation of Family Businesses: A Qualitative Good Practices Approach for Scale Development
Keßler, A., Frank, H. & Fuetsch, E., 6 Jul 2023.Publication: Contribution to conference › Conference paper
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Strategie
Mühlbacher, J., Delmestri, G. & Keßler, A., 2023, Personalmanagement - Führung - Organisation. Mayrhofer, W., Furtmüller, G. & Kasper, H. (eds.). 6. Auflage ed. Wien: Linde Verlag, p. 129-160 32 p. (Linde Lehrbuch).Publication: Chapter in book/Conference proceeding › Chapter in edited volume
Activities
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Exploring IP Management Practices in Family Firms: The Role of Business Family Logic
Bachner, C. (Speaker) & Keßler, A. (Contributor)
2 Oct 2025 → 3 Oct 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Science to science
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The next-generation‘s succession decision in different constellations of family and business crises: a randomized experiment
Süss-Reyes, J. (Speaker), Prügl, R. (Contributor) & Keßler, A. (Contributor)
11 Jun 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Science to science
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Understanding the Emergence of IP Management Practices in Family Firms
Bachner, C. (Speaker) & Keßler, A. (Contributor)
11 Jun 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Science to science
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The business family in family science: A systematic review and opportunities for building bridges to family business research
Suess-Reyes, J. (Speaker), Keßler, A. (Contributor) & Prügl, R. (Contributor)
30 Sept 2024 → 1 Oct 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Science to science
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Intellectual Property Management in Family Firms: A Systematic Literature Review and Future Research Directions
Bachner, C. (Speaker) & Keßler, A. (Contributor)
20 Jun 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Science to science
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Start-up Success and Business Success
Keßler, A. (PI - Project head), Frank, H. (Researcher) & Lueger, M. (Researcher)
1/09/05 → …
Project: Research funding
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Successful Digitalization Strategies of Lower Austrian family-managed SME in the production sector: The influence of digitalization orientation and digitalization resources
Frank, H. (PI - Project head), Fuetsch, E. (PI - Project head) & Keßler, A. (Researcher)
15/12/19 → 15/08/21
Project: Research funding
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Is there a future for family-owned trading businesses?
Frank, H. (PI - Project head), Fuetsch, E. (PI - Project head) & Keßler, A. (Researcher)
15/06/19 → 15/12/19
Project: Research funding
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Managing business families: Success factors of business families in different generational stages
Frank, H. (PI - Project head), Fuetsch, E. (Researcher), Keßler, A. (Researcher) & Süss-Reyes, J. (Researcher)
1/07/17 → 31/10/18
Project: Research funding
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Innovations in family businesses: Contextual factors, processes and performance effects
Frank, H. (PI - Project head), Fuetsch, E. (Researcher), Keßler, A. (Researcher) & Süss-Reyes, J. (Researcher)
1/07/16 → 31/08/17
Project: Research funding
Press/Media
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Es droht ein erheblicher Substanzverlust - Familienunternehmen sind qualitativ und quantitativ von großer Bedeutung für den Wirtschaftsstandort
29/11/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media
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Prizes
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Emerald Literati Awards for Excellence, Highly Commended Paper: "Principles for innovation management in family firms. An analysis of long-term successful good practices with a practitioner validation of the principles", Journal of Family Business Management 9(3) (with H. Frank, C. Bachner, E. Fuetsch und J. Süss-Reyes)
Keßler, A. (Recipient), 2020
Prize