IfM-Background-Paper
These publications offer a brief but nevertheless comprehensive analysis of current events in SME policy.

IfM-Background-Paper | 2021 Commercial start-ups and company closings in 2020
The coronavirus pandemic has a significant impact on economic activity in Ger-many. In view of the poor business prospects, the number of market entries (start-ups) should have decreased and the number of exits should have increased.

IfM-Background-Paper | 2021 Prospects for SMEs in the Covid 19 pandemic. Part 2: Challenges for Mittelstand Enterprises
The pandemic has been posing great challenges to Mittelstand businesses since spring 2020. While the focus was initially on the economic restrictions, over time the social and individual effects are also coming into view.

IfM-Background-Paper | 2021 Prospects for SMEs in the Covid 19 pandemic. Part 1: Challenges for SME policy
The demands of business associations and SMEs for a perspective on opening up the currently closed sectors of the economy are becoming louder and louder at the beginning of the second Corona pandemic year.

IfM-Background-Paper | 2020 The corona pandemic as a chance for a forward-looking EU Mittelstand policy
The European Single Market is by far the most important sales and procurement market for Mittelstand businesses. Its harmonised regulatory system reduces transaction costs and gives companies access to a larger overall market.

IfM-Background-Paper | 2020 Exit from the shutdown – how the "Mittelstand" businesses can optimally survive the coronavirus pandemic crisis
Mittelstand businesses in Germany are not only of great economic importance, but within the framework of the social market economy, they also fulfil an important stabilising function for social cohesion.

IfM-Background-Paper | 2020 Preliminary assessments of the IfM Bonn on the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the “Mittelstand” businesses in Germany
In the past, the German “Mittelstand” businesses has proven to be stabilizing in times of crisis, due to their stronger long-term orientation compared to management-led companies, but also due to their overall lower dependence on foreign markets.

IfM-Background-Paper | 2020 Comments of the IfM Bonn on the economic recovery, crisis management and future package
The German government supplemented measures to the Covid 19 emergency aid package in the spring of 2020 with the Economic Recovery and Crisis Management Package in June 2020 to revive the economy and preserve jobs in the long term.

IfM-Background-Paper | 2018 60 years of IfM Bonn. 60 years of scientific research on Mittelstand
The Institut für Mittelstandsforschung was established as a foundation in December 1957. Research activities began in the spring of 1958.