Published materials
The Library
A verified map of the research on buying a small business: 121 peer-reviewed records from FT50 and near-FT50 journals, each resolved by DOI with a summary written from the abstract, and 303 practitioner and business-school publications from Stanford, IESE, Yale, Harvard, Chicago Booth and others, plus books and recurring industry reports. Where a practitioner document was read, it carries a summary. Where only its existence was confirmed, the record says so.
- Peer-reviewed
- 121
- Practitioner
- 303
- With summary
- 192
How to read this library
Five rules the catalogue is kept to
- 01
Every record carries a year and a primary source.
Peer-reviewed papers were resolved by DOI in OpenAlex and cross-checked in Crossref where flagged. Practitioner records were confirmed against the publisher's or school's own catalogue.
- 02
Summaries describe what a paper claims, not what the school endorses.
Academic summaries are written from the abstract. Practitioner summaries exist only where the document was opened and read; the rest are marked existence only.
- 03
Nothing here is redistributed.
Every link goes to the publisher, the journal, or the school. Paywalled cases stay paywalled.
- 04
Counts are what was verified on 2026-10-12, not the size of the field.
A paper that is not here was either not found by the search strategy or could not be verified to the journal-record standard.
- 05
Peer-reviewed and practitioner literature are kept apart on purpose.
Business-school studies and cases are useful and widely cited, and none of them are peer reviewed. The two shelves do not count toward each other.
Catalogue
Search the records
Find a record by title, author, journal or year. Open a record for its summary and the link to the source.
424 of 424 records
- A16Survival after takeover entry: Effects of entrepreneurs' domain experience and knowledge acquisition behaviour
van Balen, T., de Regt, A., & de Jong, J. P. J. (2026) · International Small Business Journal, online first
Entrepreneurial entry: takeover versus foundingnear-FT50Summary
- B17The king is dead, long live who?
Eddleston, K. A., Sieger, P., Chirico, F., & Baù, M. (2026) · A family and firm embeddedness perspective on succession after the CEO-owner's sudden death. Journal of Management Studies, 63(3), 1192-1228
Succession, ownership transfer and family businessFT50Summary
- B18A bird's-eye view on family business succession: Ownership transfer regimes and how they change
Stamm, I., & Sandham, A. (2026) · Family Business Review, 39(1), 14-39
Succession, ownership transfer and family businessnear-FT50Summary
- B19The financial burden of passing on the legacy: Exploring ownership succession financing in family firms
Vekemans, L., Michiels, A., Steijvers, T., & Molly, V. (2026) · Journal of Small Business Management, online first
Succession, ownership transfer and family businessnear-FT50Summary
- C11Small business valuations during uncertain times
Kasten, C. L., Lambert, C. A., & Osborne, B. N. (2026) · Journal of Small Business Management, 64(5), 1999-2031
Information asymmetry, pricing and deal processnear-FT50Summary
- G1Acquiring for growth: Goals and motivations in entrepreneurship through acquisition
Zettel, L., & Nows, D. (2026) · Journal of Small Business Management, online first
Papers that name search funds and ETAnear-FT50Summary
- G5One concept to bind them: An exploration of the search fund phenomenon
Bauer, D., Reif, T., & Junge, S. (2026) · European Management Journal, 44(2), 344-359
Papers that name search funds and ETAotherSummary
- G7Cross-border investments and fundraising communication in entrepreneurship-through-acquisition: exploratory evidence from search fund entrepreneurs in Asia
Pöschl, A., & Mai, I. M. Q. (2026) · Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 43(1), 269-301
Papers that name search funds and ETAotherSummary
- G8Investigating the role of informal investors and investor communication in entrepreneurship-through-acquisition: A study in the context of de novo entrepreneurship
Pöschl, A., & Mai, I. M. Q. (2026) · Entrepreneurship Research Journal, 16(2), 431-473
Papers that name search funds and ETAotherSummary
- G9Entrepreneurial acquisitions and small-cap private equity overlaps: A resource-based view
Pöschl, A., & Freiling, J. (2026) · Entrepreneurial Business and Economics Review, 14(1), 113-131
Papers that name search funds and ETAotherSummary
- K132026 Search Fund Study: Selected Observations
Peter Kelly, Stefanos Zenios, Dom Ng. (2026) · Stanford GSB Case E-967, 30 pp
Stanford Graduate School of BusinessData studySummary
- K16A Primer on Search Funds: A Practical Guide for Entrepreneurs Embarking on a Search Fund (2026 edition)
Peter Kelly, Dom Ng, Kim Latypov, Julie Makinen. (2026) · Stanford GSB Case E-958, 69 pp
Stanford Graduate School of BusinessPrimerSummary
- K63Asurion (A): Two Stanford MBAs and a Towing Company
Bryan Danielson, Garth Saloner. (2026) · Stanford GSB Case E960A, 28 pp
Stanford Graduate School of BusinessCase studyExistence only
- K64Asurion (B): A New Name and A Bigger Game
Bryan Danielson, Garth Saloner. (2026) · Stanford GSB Case E960B, 23 pp
Stanford Graduate School of BusinessCase studyExistence only
- L14Search Funds: What Does Not Seem to Work and What Can Be Done About It?
Jan Simon. (2026) · Part I: Vendor Involvement and Leadership. IESE ST-680-E, 15 pp
IESE Business SchoolCase noteSummary
- L15Search Funds: What Does Not Seem to Work and What Can Be Done About It?
Jan Simon. (2026) · Part II: Customer Concentration, Market Disruption, and Government Involvement. IESE ST-681-E, 18 pp
IESE Business SchoolCase noteSummary
- L16Lessons from the Special Forces for Young Entrepreneurial Acquisition CEOs
Jan Simon. (2026) · IESE OP-638-E, 16 pp
IESE Business SchoolCase noteSummary
- M2A Mathematical Analysis of Value-Creation Attribution in Search Fund Projects
Daniel Lazier, Jacob Thomas, A. J. Wasserstein. (2026) · Yale Case, no number printed, January 12, 2026
Yale School of ManagementData studySummary
- M3A Detailed Analysis of ETA CEO Demographics and Financial Outcomes
Daniel Lazier, Jacob Thomas, A. J. Wasserstein. (2026) · Yale Case, no number printed, January 30, 2026
Yale School of ManagementData studySummary
- M4An Analysis of Industry Economic Performance in Search Funds
Daniel Lazier, Jacob Thomas, A. J. Wasserstein. (2026) · Yale Case, no number printed, March 13, 2026
Yale School of ManagementData studySummary
- M7The Pernicious Effects of Falling Acquisition Rates in the ETA Ecosystem
Daniel Lazier, Jacob Thomas, A. J. Wasserstein. (2026) · Yale Case, no number printed, July 2, 2026
Yale School of ManagementData studySummary
- M9How Are ETA CEOs Really Faring?
Daniel Lazier, Alex Schneider, A. J. Wasserstein. (2026) · Yale Case, no number printed, August 11, 2026
Yale School of ManagementData studySummary
- M10Searcher Sentiment During the ETA Journey: Baseline Findings from a Longitudinal Study
Mark Agnew, A. J. Wasserstein. (2026) · Yale Case, no number printed, September 30, 2026
Yale School of ManagementData studySummary
- M17Engineering EBITDA Multiple Expansion and the Paramount Role of Investment Bankers in ETA Exits
Leslie Cheek IV, Peter S. Kies, A. J. Wasserstein. (2026) · Yale Case, no number printed, June 26, 2026
Yale School of ManagementCase noteSummary
- M25Do Search Fund CEOs Improve Performance?
A. J. Wasserstein (interview). (2026) · Yale Insights, "Three Questions" department, April 30, 2026
Yale School of ManagementOtherSummary
- M52Exploring Bilateral Conflicts of Interest Between Entrepreneurs and Investors in Search Fund Projects
Alex Hodgkin, Matt Littell, A. J. Wasserstein. (2026) · Yale Case, no number printed, January 10, 2026
Yale School of ManagementCase noteExistence only
- M82Customer Service is the Underappreciated Compounding Asset of ETA
Germán Canale Segovia, A. J. Wasserstein. (2026) · Yale Case, no number printed, July 22, 2026
Yale School of ManagementCase noteExistence only
- N45Gemini Investors
Ruback, Richard S., and Royce Yudkoff. (2026) · Harvard Business School Case 211-066, February 2011, 9 pages
Harvard Business SchoolCase studyExistence only
- O6The Search for Fit: Ryan Turk and Radiation Detection Company
Bressman, W., King, G.J., and Swain, J. (2026) · Columbia CaseWorks, Case ID 270404, September 9, 2026
Chicago Booth and other business schoolsCase studyExistence only
- O7Bruin Point Partners
Bressman, W., and King, G.J. (2026) · Columbia CaseWorks, Case ID 270405, September 16, 2026
Chicago Booth and other business schoolsCase studyExistence only
- O12Entrepreneurship through acquisition: NCA's operator-led search fund approach
Leleux, B.F. (2026) · IMD, Reference IMD-7-2513, 14 pages
Chicago Booth and other business schoolsCase studyExistence only
- O20Entrepreneurship through Acquisition with AI: Leveraging Machine Learning for Trident Succession Search Fund
Zoumpoulis, S., Naumovska, I., and Gready, A. (2026) · INSEAD, Reference 7050, published 19 Jun 2026
Chicago Booth and other business schoolsCase studyExistence only
- Q1Private Capital Markets Report
Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, Private Capital Markets Project (Craig R. Everett; earlier editions John K. Paglia). (2026) · Pepperdine Digital Commons. Latest: 2026 Private Capital Markets Report, revision date June 22, 2026, 217 pages. (2026 edition:
Industry reports and databasesIndustry reportSummary
- Q2Market Pulse Survey Report (quarterly)
International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) and M&A Source. (2026) · Earliest PDF opened: Second Quarter 2012. Latest opened: Q2 2026 Highlights
Industry reports and databasesIndustry reportSummary
- Q3
- B21Linking entrepreneurship to external business successions: a semi-systematic review of the existing family-external business succession literature in the family firm and entrepreneurship research
Duetsch, S., & Oestreich, M. (2025) · Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship, 37(6), 891-912
Succession, ownership transfer and family businessotherSummary
- C12When do entrepreneur sellers have to earn their exit?
Garofolo, A., Cox, K., & Sproul, C. (2025) · Entrepreneurship Research Journal, 15(2), 237-257
Information asymmetry, pricing and deal processotherSummary
- C18Family firm exit: A vignette study on selling to an activist versus a steward private equity investor
Kammerlander, N., & Khoury, C. (2025) · International Small Business Journal, 43(3), 274-302
Information asymmetry, pricing and deal processnear-FT50Summary
- G6Resource mobilization and the utilization of social capital in entrepreneurs' fundraising processes in nascent search fund markets
Pöschl, A., & Mai, I. M. Q. (2025) · International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 31(7), 1805-1837
Papers that name search funds and ETAotherSummary
- G12Entrepreneurship through acquisition in the digital age: exploring website ownership patterns and motivations for selling
Hoffmann, A., Kanbach, D. K., & Kraus, S. (2025) · Journal of Enterprising Communities, 19(2), 410-429
Papers that name search funds and ETAotherSummary
Shelves
Peer-reviewed journals
Sections A through I. Tagged by tier: FT50, near-FT50, or other.
- Section AEntrepreneurial entry: takeover versus foundingWhy a person buys an existing firm rather than founding one, and how the two paths differ in survival and performance.23 records
- Section BSuccession, ownership transfer and family businessOwnership transfer inside and outside the family: timing, successor choice, and what happens to the firm afterward.26 records
- Section CInformation asymmetry, pricing and deal processHow buyers and sellers price a private firm when one side knows more than the other, and what the deal process does about it.19 records
- Section DBuyout and ownership-change effectsWhat changes in a company after a buyout or a change of owner: investment, employment, productivity, and survival.15 records
- Section EHuman capital and performance after a leadership changeThe owner-manager's experience and education, and how performance moves after the person at the top changes.12 records
- Section FEntrepreneurial finance and credit guaranteesCredit guarantees, bank lending to small firms, and the capital that finances an acquisition.7 records
- Section GPapers that name search funds and ETAThe small set of papers that study search funds and entrepreneurship through acquisition by name.12 records
- Section HEntrepreneurial exit theoryTheory of the seller's side: why and when an owner decides to leave.2 records
- Section IVerified bibliographically, abstract not retrievableRecords confirmed in the journal of record whose abstracts could not be retrieved, so no content is claimed for them.5 records
Business schools, books and industry reports
Sections K through Q. Not peer reviewed; catalogued because searchers and the papers above cite them.
- Section KStanford Graduate School of BusinessThe search fund studies and primers, and the teaching cases, from the school that has tracked the model since the 1980s.64 records
- Section LIESE Business SchoolInternational search fund studies and cases: the model outside the United States.23 records
- Section MYale School of ManagementCase notes and data studies on searcher careers, deals, boards, operations and exits, the largest practitioner shelf.129 records
- Section NHarvard Business SchoolThe cases, notes and HBR writing on buying a small company, including the material behind the best-known guide.49 records
- Section OChicago Booth and other business schoolsChicago Booth, Kellogg and other schools: cases, articles and a syllabus.22 records
- Section PBooksThe practitioner books most often cited by searchers, listed from publisher and library records.11 records
- Section QIndustry reports and databasesRecurring surveys and databases on private company sales, prices and financing.5 records