According to Jupiter Research the outdated Windows versions 98 and ME are still used to a considerable extent on second and third computers, in particular by small and medium-sized companies. Microsoft, however, announced that for these versions security updates will only be available until July 2006. Thus, any use beyond that date will result in an incalculable security risk, which according to the provisions of Basel II will be interpreted as a risk raising the costs of loans (see our news item “Inadequate IT security leads to more expensive loans”). more…

Franz Neumeier, editor-in-chief of the magazine Computer im Mittelstand (CiM) in the editorial of the most recent issue asks a delicate question: “Do you have a complete overview of the software effectively installed on the computers in your company?” People who can answer this question in the affirmative are the exception. more…

According to the initiative Perspektive Mittelstand the German economy directs its attention to the East. Not only, however, does this attention comprise Middle and Eastern Europe, but it has already reached China and India. These markets currently present a particularly high growth. more…

In an interesting guide on the Perspektive Mittelstand portal Dr. Jürgen Kaack, managing director of the STZ-Consulting Group informs on important aspects of the so-called Mezzanine financing ⇒ Wikipedia). more…

On-demand software(⇒ Wikipedia) is playing an increasingly important role in small and medium-sized entities (SME). This is the result of a corresponding survey commissioned by salesforce.com carried out among 1000 SME. According to the survey 69 percent of the companies questioned generally consider web-based business solutions to be of interest, with major SME employing more than 1000 people (81 percent) being markedly more open to this approach than minor SME (61 percent). more…

For major enterprises the development of software in India or South Africa Software has been the rule for quite a long time. But this approach is not profitable to small and medium-sized entities (SME) and the risks are too big, aren´t they? Experts think that this is not true. On the contrary, the outsourcing of software development and IT services might be particularly worthwhile for SME. Dr. Franz J. Beeler, physicist and expert on technology management, in an article on the subject estimates: more…

Small and medium-sized entities (SME) are in a dilemma, if they are offered lucrative contracts in crisis areas. On the one hand they cannot afford to turn down such opportunities, on the other hand they hardly dispose of the means enabling professional protection of their employess on the scene. A typical example is the recent, well-publicized abduction of the two German engineers Bräunlich and Nitzschke. One thing of which many people are unaware: Apart from Iraq even apparently unproblematic countries such as Mexico are quite a dangerous place. more…

The Bundesagentur für Arbeit in an extensive article directs the attention of the readers of the Uni Magazin to the good career opportunities and particularities presented by small and medium-sized companies while at the same time rectifying some frequent prejudices felt among the public and in particular among the future graduates at universities and colleges. The author of the article stresses the economic importance of small and medium-sized companies and illustrates the differences as employers as compared to major enterprises. more…

According to information made available by the EU the current costs of an initial public offering (IPO) amount to between 200.000 and 500.000 Euros. In addition, there is a similarly high annual sum which must be spent in order to stay on the stock exchange. Costs which only few small and medium-sized entities (SMEs) are able to bear. more…

A critical article on FAZ.NET (Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung) deals with the pros and cons facing investors in shares of small and medium-sized companies listed on the Entry Standard market segment of the Frankfurt stock exchange. more…