Press releases

Among the 267,000 companies in Germany that exported goods in 2023, 258,000 were small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Their exports generated a turnover of € 277 billion – around € 13 billion less than in 2022.

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According to a survey of the IfM Bonn eight out of ten business owners see their enjoyment of entrepreneurial activity disappear due to the current bureaucratic burden.

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The clear majority of managing directors in the Mittelstand companies hope that the new federal government will provide good and reliable framework conditions – and fewer controlling directives.

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Friederike Welter, Professor of Economics in Siegen, has been confirmed as President of the IfM Bonn for a further six-year term.

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The topic of "skilled employees/demographic development" remains the main challenge for all companies. But the results vary depending on the size and sector of the company and its level of digitalisation. The shortage of skilled workers is particularly significant for larger companies and those in …

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What opportunities does artificial intelligence (AI) offer for the Mittelstand? What framework conditions favor its application in companies? These questions were discussed today in Berlin by international entrepreneurship researchers together with representatives from SME policy and economy.

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The city of Leverkusen has replaced the Munich district at the top of the NUI regional ranking after five years. The district-free cities of Baden-Baden, Rosenheim and Offenbach am Main, as well as the district of Starnberg, follow in the further places.

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In the first half of this year, more main branch businesses were established in Germany (46,000) than were closed (34,000). These include startups with a commercial register or craft roll entry, or with one or more employees.

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Around 27,000 self-employed women have born a child each year. Unlike women in regular employment, they are not entitled to maternity benefits under the Maternity Protection Act, as it does not apply to them. However, they can voluntarily secure their income during the maternity leave periods before …

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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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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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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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"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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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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The health and social care sector – particularly hospitals and larger care facilities – as well as the transportation sector were most frequently affected by bankruptcies in 2023. This is shown by the proportion of insolvent companies relative to the total number of companies.

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