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IfM Bonn News

Participation in external events In the interests of companies: The Succession planning

How do the many challenges currently facing SMEs affect the succession process? Does the younger generation lack the courage to be entrepreneurial?

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External publications The myth of ‘Silicon Valley’?

Der Wirtschaftsraum Silicon Valley gilt als vorbildlich. Immer wieder zieht er Führungskräfte, politisch Verantwortliche und Forschende an, die das kalifornische Erfolgsgeheimnis erkunden – und im besten Fall auch in ihrem Land umsetzen möchten. Doch ist das Silicon Valley wirklich so vorbildlich – …

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Participation in external events IfM-researchers at the EBES-Conference

Dr Christian Dienes, Dr Stefan Schneck and Hans-Jürgen Wolter have found that the influence of start-ups on per capita economic growth tends to decrease in urban areas, while it increases in rural areas.

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Guests at the IfM Boys’ Day at the IfM Bonn

What are the career opportunities for a schoolboy interested in maths at a research institute?

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Press release More process and product innovations in Germany than the EU average

More than every third company (36%) developed new products, imitated innovations from competitors, or further developed their own products between 2018 and 2020. While the majority (63%) of companies with more than 250 employees did so, only every third small enterprise and 44% of medium-sized …

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External publications Significant gap between desire and reality in succession planning

Succession in a family business is generally regarded as a critical point in the life cycle of the enterprise. But how far do owners realise their succession plans?

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External publications Mastering the transformation with technical innovations

The current transformation of the economy and society requires many far-reaching technological and social innovations.

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Press release The EU single market is and remains the most important foreign market for the industrial Mittelstand

The European single market is of highest importance for Mittelstand industrial enterprises, both as procurement and as sales market, surpassing all other foreign markets. Following behind with great distance are markets in other European countries and in China.This was revealed by an IfM survey of …

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Participation in external events New approaches for entrepreneurship research

How might entrepreneurship research develop? Which external fields and disciplines could provide innovative impetus? Prof Dr Dr h.c. Friederike Welter discussed these and other questions at the beginning of April with Prof Dr Dimo Dimov, Prof Dr Andrew Nelsonand Prof Dr Stratos Ramaglou at the …

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Guests at the IfM A useful tool for innovation research

Dr Oliver Koppel (Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft) presented the IW patent database at the IfM Forum in the institute in mid-April. He emphasised in particular the opportunities for analysing the Mittelstand.

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Press release Startups in the liberal professions continue to rise

The number of startups in the liberal professions increased by 1.7% in 2023 compared to the previous year, reaching around 94,670. This means that once again, more freelancers took the path to self-employment than in the previous year.

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Press release Sustainability in Mittelstand Enterprises: The reporting obligations for a few have implications for many

The necessity of an ecological transformation has now become a societal consensus. According to a previous study by the IfM Bonn, Mittelstand enterprises in Germany also predominantly support the ecological transformation.

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Press release Companies wish more Trust from the Government

Vier von zehn Unternehmerinnen und Unternehmern fühlen sich durch die aktuellen bürokratischen Vorgaben in ihrer unternehmerischen Eigenverantwortung eingeschränkt. Rund ein Viertel von ihnen hält es für wichtig, dass die unternehmerische Expertise stärker in die Gesetzgebungsprozesse einfließt, …

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IfM Publications Decarbonisation in the industrial Mittelstand

Decarbonisation in the manufacturing industry is an important aspect of the ecological transformation. Research by Prof Dr Jörn Block (University of Trier/University of Witten), Solvej Lorenzen (University of Witten) and Dr Holger Steinmetz (University of Trier) shows that medium-sized industrial …

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Participation in external events Reduced bureaucracy, more opportunities for growth

Prof. Dr Dr h.c. Friederike Welter took part as a panellist at the SPD Economic Forum's economic conference "Transforming Growth: Location Policy in Germany, Europe and the World".

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