IfM Bonn News

Have women-led businesses been more impaired by the coronavirus pandemic than men-led businesses? Did female entrepreneurs use support measures to the same extent as their male counterparts?

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More than 3.4 million companies in Germany are classified as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) according to the European Commission's definition of SMEs. This is more than 99% of all private sector businesses in Germany.

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Dr Teita Bijedić-Krumm has been appointed to the jury for the federal competition ʺZukunft Regionʺ organised by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection. The target of the competition is to strengthen the economic power of structurally weak German regions.

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How do small and medium-sized enterprises develop in Germany – and in Europe? Are SMEs in Germany facing the same challenges as small and medium-sized enterprises in other EU countries?

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In the competition for apprentices, micro enterprises (with fewer than 10 employees subject to social security contributions) are increasingly falling behind. Despite a slight increase in the total number of apprentices to over 1.5 million, there were 3.4% fewer apprentices employed in these micro …

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There is recurring public concern that hybrid self-employed may not be sufficiently socially protected due to the different social security systems for paid employees and the self-employed.

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Do individual characteristics of the Big Five personality patterns have an impact on the development of innovation in structurally disadvantaged regions? Leonie Reher, Dr Jörg Thomä and Dr Petrik Runst analyse this question in their policy brief "Patterns of personality: An explanatory approach to …

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According to the researchers at IfM Bonn, the Federal Government's goal to simplify, expedite, and digitize procurement law is a step in the right direction: The planned Growth Initiative aims to reduce bureaucratic effort for both clients and contractors in future procurement procedures. …

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When companies engage in own research and development, are internationally active and seek to maximise their market share, the chances of becoming a hidden champion increase.

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"In principle, we welcome that the Bavarian state government aims to simplify public procurement in municipal construction by expanding the upper limits for direct awards" explained Sebastian Schneider, one of the authors of the IfM study "Mittelstand-Friendly Design of Public Tenders".

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What opportunities exist for craft businesses to use artificial intelligence (AI) in their day-to-day work? How can this make things easier for companies?

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Companies increasingly feel unable to implement all of the existing bureaucratic regulations imposed by the state – but also by self-regulatory organisations in industry, standardisation institutes or within value chains.

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Are machine learning methods more suitable than conventional statistical methods to predict IPO withdrawal?

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Own resource constraints and the desire to gain an early knowledge advantage over competitors are primary motives why Mittelstand enterprises, with regard to the circular economy, initiate - and implement - innovative projects together with startups, research institutions, or other businesses.

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Is it possible to shift the trend towards reducing bureaucracy? And if so, how? Sebastian Schneider presented on this question at the 1st Packaging Machinery Conference in Munich in mid-June.

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