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Case Study

YCH Group: How to remain an innovative family business across generations

By Marleen Dieleman and Sophia Xuefei Qiu

11 pages

July 2025

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Reference: IMD-2659

YCH Group, a pioneering family-owned logistics company in Asia evolved from a small transport business into a regional leader in supply chain solutions focused on e-commerce, the Internet of Things (IoT) and robotics. This remarkable transformation was thanks to executive chairman Dr Robert Yap, a visionary who was fond of disruption and who remained at the forefront of innovations in the industry. As Dr Yap contemplated the future of YCH, he wondered how his focus on innovation might endure. His son, Ryan Yap, represented a new generation with different ideas about how to protect the company’s core. The case asks participants to rethink legacy as not merely a fixed heritage of traditions passed down but one of continual change and entrepreneurship. It also invites learners to evaluate and discuss how YCH should prepare for a new era of success.

Learning Objective

Understand the ability-willingness paradox in family businesses.
Understand how constant change relates to a family business legacy.
Understand the nuances of the succession of strong family patriarchs.

Keywords

Family Business, Legacy, Ability-Willingness Paradox

Settings

Asia, Singapore
YCH Group, Logistics and Supply Chain
2025

Type

Field Research

Available Languages

English

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Teaching note

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