The latest edition of the Computerwoche magazine draws the attention to a weak point of many companies: Although emails with tax relevant contents, just like the relevant paper documents, have to be stored for 6 years (for data which refer directly to accounting entries or year-end financial statements this period is even ten years), there is not much attention given to the archiving of such emails. Only one third of all companies have set up clear rules for the storing of business emails, say the authors of the Computerwoche magazine. more…

At the convention of the Federal Association of Accountants and Controllers (BVBC) which is currently taking place in Suhl, Germany, Mr. Uwe Jüttner, chairman of the association, expressed himself on the introduction of the so-called International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS ⇒Wikipedia) which draws nearer also for small and medium-sized entities (SME). He stressed that although the application of the new rule was currently premature for most SME, it would, however, be unavoidable in the medium-term. He also said that the BVBC shared the opinion of the majority of experts and executives who believe that the IFRS in the medium and long term would establish themselves as the common standard for external accounting. more…

According to an old merchant´s saying cost-efficient procurement is the best way for companies to save money. As was reported by the Federal association for material management, procurement and logistics e.V. (BME) at the “e_procure & supply” expert fair in Nuremberg, companies using tools for electronic procurement on average save between 15 and 30 percent on process costs and between 5 and 10 percent on purchase prices. These are the results of the “BME-Stimmungsbarometer Elektronische Beschaffung 2006« survey carried out this year among 47 major enterprises (with more than 2.000 employees) and 46 small and medium-sized entities (SME). more…

As was already reported by MittelstandsBlog.de on several occasions before (March 3rd and April 4th), there was the danger for self-employed managing-partner directors of private limited companies of having to pay retroactively contributions to pension schemes. These payments, according to many experts, would have had business threatening effects on small and medium-sized companies. more…

As was announced by the news service of the Lower House of German Parliament, on Wednesday, 17th of May 2006, the budget committee among other things approved a VAT rise from 16 to 19 percent from January 1^st of 2007. After having discussed the draft by the Federal Government on the accompanying budget law 2006 (16/752) the coalition parties CDU/CSU and SPD voted in favour of the law, the opposition parties of FDP, leftists and Bündnis 90/greens voted against it. more…

T-Mobile in co-operation with the Markt und Mittelstand magazine confers for the first time this year the »Innovationspreis Mobilität Mittelstand« award. This award is to promote examplary concepts and applications of mobile phone technologies for the work process optimization in small and medium-sized companies. There is only one precondition: more…

For this year the Federal Government is ready to make available 150 million Euros for the technological sponsoring of small and medium-sized entities (SME) from the PRO INNO II programme set up by the Federal Ministry of Economy and Technology (BMWi). This amount represents an increase by 50 percent as compared to the year 2005. This means that additional research projects can now be sponsored via the responsible body Arbeitsgemeinschaft industrieller Forschungsvereinigungen (AiF). PRO INNO II is meant to promote the development of innovative products, processes or technical services and to encourage SME to co-operate with each other and with research institutions at home and abroad. It is also to stimulate the temporary and project-related exchange of research and development staff. more…

The innovations-wissen.de expert portal for strategy, innovation and technology know-how provides specific support in the development of business, process and technology strategies to manufacturing companies in German-speaking countries. It offers manuals, process and method descriptions as well as tools such as Excel templates, checklists etc. The target group are experts and executives from the fields of product development (S&D), product management, technology and and innovation management, strategic planning as well as students and university staff. The annual fee to be paid for the service amounts to 49 Euros. more…

The associationBundesverband Deutscher Mittelstandsberater e.V. (BVDM) as part of the „Du bist deutscher Mittelstand” awareness campaign (MittelstandsBlog.de has already reported on this) has created a new mark of distinction in order to pay tribute to small and medium-sized entities (SME) of merit. This „Excellent product of the year 2006″ mark of distinction will be awarded to products or product lines which make a demonstrable contribution to the reputation of German SME. This mark of quality will be awarded each year. more…

It does not always have to be one´s own ideas which leads to the setting up of a new company. Franchising is one alternative. The famous futurologist John Naisbitt is even convinced that “by the year 2010 franchising will be the most successful way to commercialize a product.”
This opinion is shared by the Swiss consultant Dr. Franz Beeler who has compiled a large amount of information on this subject on the KMU Innovation website. more…