Publications
IfM Bonn publishes its research findings primarily in its publication series: study results are published as "IfM-Materials" - or in condensed form as a "Denkpapier" (summary). Statistical analyses and results appear in the series "Daten und Fakten". Discussion and technical papers from all research areas are published as "Working Papers".
In addition, until 2012 selected articles were published in the series "Schriften zur Mittelstandsforschung" (Gabler Verlag). Under the "External Publications" tab, you find numerous essays by IfM researchers that have appeared in (peer-reviewed) specialist journals and external publication series.
582 Results
Policy Brief "Entrepreneurship in Focus" | 2019 Why the start-up culture in Silicon Valley is different
Looking at the influence of the start-up environment - independent of individual entrepreneurial activity - it can be seen that the environment in Germany promotes incremental-innovative start-ups.
IfM-Materialien | 2019 Entrepreneurial target systems: Are medium-sized companies really different from others?
German SMEs are characterized - both nationally and internationally - as a special group of companies that stand out due to specific characteristics, behaviors and values.
External publication | 2019 A gendered look at entrepreneurship ecosystems
Underlying entrepreneurship ecosystems is the implicit assumption that all entrepreneurs have equal access to resources, participation, and support, as well as an equal chance of a successful outcome (venture start-up).
IfM-Materialien | 2019 Bureaucratic perception of companies
This study examines how companies perceive bureaucracy. Three different kinds of perception types can be identified, depending on the degree of perceived overall burden, the extent of efforts required to fulfil bureaucratic requirements and the degree of emotion caused by bureaucracy; the Unencumbered Type, the Pragmatic Type and the Grumbling Type.
External publication | 2019 Entrepreneurship and Context
"Entrepreneurship and Context" conveys the significant contribution Friederike Welter has made to entrepreneurship research in recent decades.
Facts and figures | 2019 Business start-ups by women - current developments
Women have always been underrepresented in the founding process in Germany. This under-representation has recently increased again.
External publication | 2019 The power of words and images: towards talking about and seeing entrepreneurship and innovation differently
Words and images are powerful: they frame the ways we perceive what entrepreneurship and innovation is and what not.
Denkpapiere | 2019 Company succession by employees - opportunities and risks
Between 2018 and 2022, the IfM Bonn estimates that every year around 30,000 family businesses in Germany will be faced with a succession issue.
External publication | 2019 Potentially Disruptive Innovations and Business Models
This study analyses how established SMEs respond to potentially disruptive innovations and business models in the course of increasing digitization.
External publication | 2019 Different strokes for different folks: The job satisfaction of the selfemployed and the intersection of gender and migration background
Migrant-run businesses are an important component of entrepreneurial ecosystems in Germany - One in ten of the companies in Germany is migrant-run.
External publication | 2019 Implementation aids Work 4.0 Use artificial intelligence for productive and preventive work design: Background knowledge and design recommendations for the introduction of 4.0 technologies
Small and medium-sized companies are faced with the major task of mastering the challenges of the digital transformation in the working world and using it as an opportunity. The increasing use of new 4.0 technologies based on artificial intelligence (AI) influences many areas of our work and everyday life.
External publication | 2019 The Mittelstand: a Specific Entrepreneurial Profile of the Social Market Economy
Today, micro and young entrepreneurs often no longer perceive themselves as medium-sized companies. At the same time there are many entrepreneurs who do not intend to employ other gainfully employed persons.
IfM-Materialien | 2019 Persistence of self-employed receiving means-tested benefits
Persistence of self-employed receiving means-tested benefitsWe analyze the situation of self-employed receiving means-tested benefits in Germany. A severe loss of income is the main reason why self-employed individuals become entitled for means-tested benefits.
Working Papers | 2019 The German Mittelstand: Antithesis to the Silicon Valley entrepreneurship model?
Whilst internationally, the Mittelstand in Germany is admired and many countries try to emulate it, the current debate in Germany praises the Silicon Valley model of entrepreneurship, contrasting the Mittelstand as low-growth, low-tech and non-innovative – in short: as a hindrance to Germany’s economic future.
External publication | 2019 Different Strokes for Different Folks: Entrepreneurs' Job Satisfaction and the Intersection of Gender and Migration Background
Migrant enterprises comprise about 10% of all enterprises in Germany and are therefore a crucial part of the German economy and its entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Facts and figures | 2019 Sub-Saharan Africa and foreign trade activities of German SME
This study investigates the economies of the sub-Saharan States in Africa, which account for only 2% of the world GDP. Using statistical data, it is analyzed whether German companies have successfully established business relationships in this region.
IfM-Materialien | 2019 Leadership Skills in the age of digitization - The context of the firm matters
This study deals with leadership skills for successful digitization. On the basis of interviews with the management level of companies with different ownership structures, industries, sizes and digitization, three different types of competencies were identified.
External publication | 2019 The largest family businesses in Germany, key figures update 2018
As part of the study series "The largest family businesses in Germany", the IfM Bonn analyzed the balance sheet and P&L data of family businesses with annual sales of 50 million euros or more in winter 2018.
Facts and figures | 2018 The employment and income situation of Young Women MINT Professionals in medium-sized companies
This study analyzes the employment and income situation of Young Women MINT Professionals (YWMP) in medium-sized companies. It shows that YWMPs are strongly underrepresented, slightly less so in micro and large enterprises than in small and medium-sized enterprises
Working Papers | 2018 SMEs´ Responses to Potentially Disruptive Innovations: Does Strategic Entrepreneurship Provide an Explanation?
This study analyzes how SMEs react to the danger of disruptive innovations or new business models in the course of increasing digitization. We assume that the concept of the "strategic entrepreneur" is suitable to explain the different behavior of SMEs in dealing with disruptive innovations or new business models.