According to the latest ninth edition of the ZEW study commissioned by the Stiftung Mittelstand, Germany only ranks 18th out of the 21 industrialized nations analyzed in the Family Business Country Index (https://www.familienunternehmen.de/de). The study identifies six sub-indices, namely taxes, labor, regulation, financing, infrastructure, investment and energy. The authors of the ZEW study come to …
At the start of the new year, we are all looking ahead to the challenges that lie ahead. In order to develop suitable business models and strategies, adjust staffing levels and decide on investments, it is important to realistically assess the economic conditions.The global economy appears to be growing at a stable rate of 2.5 …
On Tuesday, 9 August, Christoph Krause recorded an interview about resilience for companies with me as a podcast. You can access this interview, which took place in a circle of Rotarian friends, via the following links: on Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3dtd3JI on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3AhTXzgon Imagine Rotary: https://bit.ly/3w0gka0or on the Machercast page: https://bit.ly/3bWE9bR Have a listen, and …
The current political and economic situation is also impacting entrepreneurial succession for businesses. Business founders as well as strategic buyers and financial investors are consciously incorporating uncertainties and risks arising from rising financing costs, from high inflation, increasing equity requirements, ESG requirements, fragile raw material supply chains, the increasing significance of the creditworthiness, worsening skills …
The consequences of the disruptions in supply chains triggered by Corona suggested an unbundling of global trade relations and a return to local sourcing. However, the economic strain that grew out of the Corona crisis led to even greater competitive pricing pressures, which have tended to drive many companies to source low-cost input materials and …
As revenues become adequate and operational routine sets in, some established organizations begin to drift. They no longer actively manage their business but increasingly act reactively to customer requests. As a result, gross profits gradually dwindle, earnings become weaker, and ultimately liquidity comes under threat. In such situations, cost-cutting programs may help alleviate the immediate …
Many entrepreneurs and performing executives think “compliance” is something for listed companies. They do not know that medium-sized companies can also benefit from compliance work. In fact, dealing with compliance issues focuses management on the essential issues of running a business. It has been proven that companies that seriously deal with compliance work are much …
The strain on people and businesses during the Corona period, which shook up supply chains, and the energy crisis that seamlessly followed, was undoubtedly extraordinary. This so-called stack crisis, which has left unmistakable traces, has triggered fears among us and understandably puts us in a state of alarm. And now OpenAI comes forward with ChatGPT …
Following on from my Christmas greeting and the wishes expressed in it to make this year a better year, I am unfortunately already having to row back in the first quarter. For we see that the world is unfortunately not getting any better: While the Corona crisis has not yet been overcome, the global world …
In order to manage manufacturing companies responsibly in times with an economically opaque outlook, the focus is once again shifting to the cost side. Experience shows that costs can only be saved marginally within the specialist departments. Significantly greater savings potential is to be found in improving coordination at the interfaces between the specialist departments …
