Perhaps the most notable characteristics of overseas Chinese business enterprises, large and small, is the use of the family controlled company. A question which has been asked, quite legitimately, is whether Asian businesses should have a new and unique form of business vehicle, better suited to family controlled companies. The conclusion of this article is that the family controlled company is the rule in most of the world. Across jurisdictions its characteristics are remarkably similar. Accordingly, legal devices prevalent in many western jurisdictions, especially those addressing dispute resolution, could be adopted to Asian uses.