"Small and medium-sized enterprises remain the backbone of North Rhine-Westphalia's economy", reported Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Friederike Welter (IfM Bonn/University of Siegen) in her keynote speech at the North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) SME Advisory Council in early November. She stated that 99.1% of all companies are small and medium-sized enterprises, with 2,866 companies (250 to 750 employees) classified as mid-caps.
The IfM President also presented research findings on the current challenges facing SMEs, the use of artificial intelligence in relation to the shortage of skilled workers, and how companies are dealing with US tariffs.
