Companies are an important pillar of our economy because they create jobs, prosperity and growth. It is the task of politics to support companies in adapting to a changing environment - for example, to promote research and development.
About the topic
The structure of the German and international economy is constantly changing. Companies are challenged to adapt to new realities brought about by digitization, for example. But they are also driving innovation and thus actively shaping change. Politics can support companies in this task by setting the framework conditions favorably. This includes, for example, adjusting the rules for competition, reducing bureaucracy and always maintaining a balance between established companies, such as traditional SMEs, and startups that enrich Germany as a business location with new business models.
Jan Büchel / Barbara Engels IW-Kurzbericht No. 96 8. December 2022
Most companies are not data economy ready
Data is the central resource of the digital transformation. It underlies all digital processes, transactions and interactions. The use of this data is key to innovation and sustainable growth (BMWK, 2022). Currently, however, many companies in Germany do not meet the requirements to be able to use data efficiently. This is shown by a survey of 1,051 companies from ...
Thomas Puls / Edgar Schmitz IW-Trends No. 4 22. November 2022
How Much Do Infrastructure Problems Affect Businesses in Germany? Results of IW Surveys
In recent months, closed motorways, congested seaports and cancelled freight trains have combined with already high energy prices and material shortages to cause exasperation in Germany’s business community.
Viktor Lázár / Ian Clay / Stephen Ezell / Shelby Lauter / Axel Plünnecke / Stefano da Empoli / Lorenzo Principali / Michele Masulli / Aaron Wudrick Expertise 14. November 2022
The Transatlantic Subnational Innovation Competitiveness Index
Innovation ecosystems are increasingly complex and diverse, but there are common markers of core strength. In this report, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, the German Economic Institute, the Institute for Competitiveness, and the ...
Viktor Lázár / Ian Clay / Stephen Ezell / Shelby Lauter / Axel Plünnecke / Stefano da Empoli / Lorenzo Principali / Michele Masulli / Aaron Wudrick IW
Maike Haag / Enno Kohlisch / Oliver Koppel IW-Kurzbericht No. 88 25. October 2022
Innovation and diversity: Migration prevents decline in patent activity
Migration makes an indispensable contribution to Germany's innovative strength: a record 12.2 percent of all patent applications developed in this country are entirely attributable to inventors with foreign roots. Many German companies already show ...
Factors Influencing the Decentralised Energy Transition in North Rhine-Westphalia
Martin Beznoska / Björn Kauder / Finn Arnd Wendland
North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), the most populous of Germany’s sixteen states and an industrial heartland, is a particular focus of the energy transition. Despite considerable progress in expanding the use of renewable energy, NRW still lags far behind other German states.
Martin Beznoska / Björn Kauder / Finn Arnd Wendland IW
Data is the central resource of the digital transformation. It underlies all digital processes, transactions and interactions. The use of this data is key to innovation and sustainable growth (BMWK, 2022). Currently, however, many companies in Germany do not meet the requirements to be able to use data efficiently. This is shown by a survey of 1,051 companies from industry and industry-related service providers.
Industrial cooperation can offer a variety of advantages. This holds especially for innovative projects, because research and development expenditures can be spread over several partners and the respective expertise of the participants can be efficiently utilised.
How Much Do Infrastructure Problems Affect Businesses in Germany? Results of IW Surveys
Thomas Puls / Edgar Schmitz
In recent months, closed motorways, congested seaports and cancelled freight trains have combined with already high energy prices and material shortages to cause exasperation in Germany’s business community.
panel discussion: Challenging times for the US and EU - Where are the economic and monetary policies headed?
The Russian war of aggression on Ukraine triggered massive price increases. But even before that, there were high inflation risks due to the Corona pandemic and creeping deglobalization. How should governments and central banks respond now?
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German Economic Institute (IW) 
