Dad doesn’t work anymore?

The present study aims to understand the succession process in a family business, from a psychoanalytical perspective, from the paternal function, as a regulator of symbolic references in culture. The company studied is Retificadora Desordi Ltda., located in the northwest region of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, in the period between 1950-2007. In a general manner, this study interprets this succession process, evidencing which were the strategic periods that propitiated developments in the paternal function and in the succession process, how they were developed and which factors determined such developments. In terms of the methodology employed, this is a unique case study, framed within the characteristics of the qualitative approach (TRIVINOS, 1987) and contextualist (PETTIGREW, 1992). The longitudinal and historical mode of analysis was also used, by adopting the direct review procedures (MINTZBERG, 1985), as well as a psychoanalytical stance of the social bond, especially Lacan’s four discourses (1992).