The CeBIT exhibition has always been instrumental in bringing together business and research. Thus, the Innovation Relay Centre (IRC) Future Match is the perfect solution to companies and research institutes specifically looking for technical co-operations in Europe. In the course of the CeBIT exhibition this forum will enable people to make first personal contacts with each other. more…

Bad times for bad guys: a penchant for corruption, theft and fraud at the workplace can be measured according to the Department of Forensic Psychology at the Technical University in Darmstadt. This is the finding of several tests carried out in co-operation with the University of Regensburg and the »Team Psychologie & Sicherheit» consulting firm which sponsored this research project. more…

As soon as 30 years ago Asset Backed Securities (ABS) were introduced in the USA as financial instruments. As late as 1998 they also appeared on the financial markets in Germany. The fact that ABS open up new opportunities for financing which does not depend on banks has recently been recognized in particular by housebuilding enterprises. But the potential of ABS is huge. An article on the MittelstandsWiki describes these financial instruments and their pros and cons.

The market for computer and video games and paddles hit a new record high in 2006. In Germany turnover increased to 1.77 billion Euros which is 13% more than in 2005 (1.57 billion Euros). This is the finding of the »Digital games in Germany – trends and perspectives for 2007» study conducted jointly by the German Association for Information Management, Telecommunications and New Media (BITKOM) and the Ernst & Young consulting firm. more…

According to a statement by the Federal Association of Information Management, Telecommunications and New Media (BITKOM) electronic business is booming in Germany. 46 billion Euros were spent by Germans on goods and services in the year 2006 on the internet. This represents an increase by 44% as compared with the previous year, says BITKOM. The lion share of almost 90% of electronic business was done by companies. more…

In the course of an online-survey conducted at the end of December 2006 the German Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) questioned more than 1100 companies about their opinions on the consequences of Basel II. Some of the findings are available now according to which in particular small companies and the retail business are worried about the effects of Basel II. more…

German companies are suffering always more and to an ever greater extent from counterfeit products. This problem is addressed by a new bill adopted last Wednesday by the Federal goverment which is to transpose a corresponding EU directive. This bill not only facilitates the fight against forgeries, but it also reduces the malpractice of sending warnings to individuals. more…

By the year 2012 the EU Commission wants to reduce administrative burdens on companies by 25%. In a presentation on Wednesday the Commission introduced an action plan which aims at reducing reporting requirements in 13 selected areas. These include issues like company law, employment relationships, fiscal law, statistics, agriculture and transportation. more…

A truly comprehensive analysis of trends in the fields of technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) is provided by the Deloitte accountancy and consultancy firm in its »TMT Trends 2007« study. Here the trends in short: the most important technological aspects are user friendliness and data protection. With regard to the media sector social networks are becoming more and more important. Another major topic is the penetration of the Chinese market. In the field of telecommunications mobile phone service providers push indoor-telephony whereas fixed network operators develop methods in order to fully use the potential of IPTV. more…

That true top managers have to be tough and should take sweeping measures is a picture which some executives from major companies not only can fully identify with, but which may also be more easily conveyed by the media than that of the careful and circumspect executive. However, Mr. Norbert Copray who is director of the German Fairness Foundation based in Frankfurt warns that in the long run executives intimidating employees will not be successful. more…