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.
593 Results
External publication | 2013 Does the financial system affects early stage venture capital investments?
Improving access to finance is one of the key factors for increasing the number of innovative business start-ups with high growth potential. In this context, venture capitalists (VCs) have successfully dealt with the problems of financing innovative projects.
External publication | 2013 BDI Mittelstandspanel: Results of the online survey of medium-sized businesses - spring 2013
As part of a long-term study on industrial SMEs in Germany, the IfM Bonn surveyed a fixed group of industrial companies for the 17th time in the spring of 2013 to assess the economic situation and topics relevant to daily politics and business management.
IfM-Materialien | 2013 Taking on trainees - analyses specific to company size
This study examines the questions of what role the company's own training of skilled workers has played to date and will play in the future in securing the demand for skilled workers and, in particular, whether and to what extent small and medium-sized enterprises in particular have difficulties in retaining training graduates.
External publication | 2013 Information asymmetries between transferor and successor - challenges and possible solutions using the example of management buy-ins in family businesses
Despite the increasing importance of succession arrangements outside the family, such as MBO and MBI, there are still major research gaps with regard to these succession options. Although information economics is a promising approach to gain a more profound understanding, it has not yet been sufficiently applied in this context.
External publication | 2013 Strategies and Policies to Support the Competitiveness of German Mittelstand Companies
The essay provides a literature overview of corporate strategies and support measures that contribute to the success of German medium-sized companies on national and international markets.
External publication | 2013 Medium-sized enterprises in Germany
As part of the international research cooperation "Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSEs) in Europe" with partners in Italy, France and Spain, the IfM Bonn has for the second time analyzed the economic and financial situation of medium-sized German manufacturing companies with 50-749 employees and annual sales of 15-330 million EUR on the basis of balance sheet data.
External publication | 2013 Nonlinear Evaluation of Status and Signal Effects
The paper uses German panel data to examine the effects of relative standing on individual satisfaction with the job, the propensity to change jobs, and intentions to start-up an enterprise in the near future. The relationship between relative wage positions and job satisfaction is inversely U-shaped.
External publication | 2013 The largest family businesses - spring survey 2013
As part of the study series "The largest family-owned companies in Germany", the IfM Bonn carried out a survey of around 400 of the largest family businesses for the fourth time in spring 2013.
External publication | 2013 Gender identities and practices: Interpreting women entrepreneurs’ narratives
Previous research has shown that current notions of femininity conflict with the role of the entrepreneur.
IfM-Materialien | 2013 The sustainable employment contribution of SMEs - A sectoral analysis with special emphasis on R&D and knowledge-intensive industries
The SME hypothesis states that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make a relatively higher contribution to the creation of new jobs subject to social insurance contributions than large companies in relation to existing employment.
Facts and figures | 2013 Foreign sales of freelance industries using the example of architects - a comparison of different data sources
The statistics relating to the foreign activities of German companies do not permit the clear identification of liberal professions. Complete data for all foreign activities, company sizes or legal forms are not available in any statistics.
IfM-Materialien | 2013 The employment contribution of medium-sized export companies
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are an anchor of stability for employment in times of crisis. This is the conclusion reached by the scientists of the Bonn Institute for SME Research (IfM Bonn): Between 2001 and 2009, the number of employees in all SMEs grew by 13.6 % - and even in the crisis years 2008/09 by 2.9 %.
External publication | 2013 EU Enlargement Effects on Cross-border Informal Entrepreneurial Activities
Border regions have different forms of entrepreneurial activities and offer many examples of informal entrepreneurial activities that have developed and persist due to their respective border location
External publication | 2013 The largest family businesses - 3rd key figures update, winter 2012/2013
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 2012/2013.
External publication | 2013 My Wage is Unfair! Just a Feeling or Comparison with Peers?
The article analyzes the connection between wage comparisons and the subjectively perceived fairness of wages. Based on the results of a large German household survey, it can be concluded that people who perceive their wages as unfair in the majority of cases also earn less than comparable persons with fair wages.
External publication | 2013 On the reform of the insolvency law in the area of residual debt discharge according to the government draft
In 1999, some 2.8 million households in Germany were considered over-indebted. Over-indebted persons, both consumers and the self-employed, can settle their old debts through out-of-court settlements, but also by legal means.
External publication | 2013 Medium-sized industrial companies assess economic policy conditions much better
The most important results of the twelfth survey wave of the BDI SME panel show that the economic activities of industrial SMEs have recovered with gratifying dynamism in autumn 2010.
IfM-Materialien | 2012 Public funding of company takeovers - necessity and design
This study investigated the question of what public support services are offered for successions in Germany and the extent to which state support is necessary.
IfM-Materialien | 2012 Analysis of the German immigration system with regard to the demand for skilled workers in medium-sized companies
Among other things, policymakers in Germany are relying on the immigration of highly qualified persons from third countries to fill gaps in skilled labor.
External publication | 2012 BDI Medium-sized Businesses Panel - Fall 2012
As part of a long-term study on industrial SMEs in Germany, the IfM Bonn surveyed a fixed group of industrial companies for the 16th time in autumn 2012 on their assessment of the economic situation and on topics relevant to daily politics and business management.