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IW-Report No. 39 6. October 2026 Samina Sultan / Jürgen Matthes

German Foreign Investment and the debate over Germany as a business location

Geopolitical pressure and the debate over Germany’s competitiveness make it necessary to develop a more precise understanding of German foreign direct investment. This report provides a comprehensive empirical analysis and also examines the implications for Germany as a business location.

IW-Trends No. 3 29. September 2026 Dominik Enste / Jennifer Potthoff / Augustin Renz

The Honesty-Attitude-Behavior Gap: A Cross-Country Comparison

Honesty reduces transaction costs and is therefore a prerequisite for effective economic cooperation.

IW-Report No. 38 11. September 2026 Paula Risius et al.

Making Apprenticeships a Success: From Marketing to Hiring

In-company vocational training is a key factor in securing skilled labour. The first step in investing in future employees is to approach and recruit new apprentices. For many companies, filling the apprenticeship positions they offer is a challenge.

Expertise 25. August 2026 Hagen Lesch / Lennart Eckle / Sandra Vogel

European Minimum Wage Directive and Strengthening Collective Bargaining Coverage

The EU Minimum Wage Directive recommends that EU Member States achieve a collective bargaining coverage of 80 per cent to ensure adequate minimum wages.

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External Publication 16. September 2026 Sarah Lichtenthäler / Adriana Neligan in Journal of Circular Economy

Complementary Capabilities for Circular Practices: Firm-Level Evidence in Germany on the Role of Digitalization and Innovation

The transition to a circular economy (CE) requires firms to reconfigure business models, processes and capabilities.

Expertise 11. September 2026 Axel Plünnecke et al

Transatlantic Subnational Innovation Competitiveness Index 3.0

Innovation and competitiveness drive productivity, economic growth, and welfare growth.

External Publication 9. September 2026 Vera Demary

GTIPA Perspectives: Making AI Policy to Drive Innovation

Germany’s federal structure leads to a diverse landscape of AI policies across the country. While the EU AI Act establishes a general framework for AI policy throughout the continent, Germany’s federal government is responsible for national AI policies.

Expertise 8. September 2026 Jan Büchel / Jan Engler / Armin Mertens

AI skills demand in the EU

More and more companies in Europe are using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. In 2025, one in five companies in the EU with 10 employees or more used at least one major AI technology, up from 8% in 2023 (Eurostat, 2026a).

IW-Trends No. 2 6. August 2026 Adriana Neligan et al.

Critical Raw Materials: Corporate Exposure, Supply Risks and Adaptation Strategies

Critical raw materials are vital inputs for key technologies and thus for industrial competitiveness.

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Events

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Event 14. October 2026 Alexander Radunz

Expert Workshop on the Industrial Accelerator Act

The German Economic Institute (IW) and Frontier Economics are pleased to invite you to a rapporteur & stakeholder workshop on the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) in Brussels.

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