Companies increasingly feel unable to implement all of the existing bureaucratic regulations imposed by the state – but also by self-regulatory organisations in industry, standardisation institutes or within value chains. Dr Annette Icks explained the reasons for this at the Bavarian Family Business Congress in Regensburg at the end of June. She explained that cost and time are only one aspect. The psychological costs are much more serious for more than half of the companies (53%): "Eight out of 10 entrepreneurs now see their enjoyment of their entrepreneurial activities dwindle due to the bureaucratic burden. Based on our research findings, we therefore urgently need a paradigm shift. This means, for example: Away from the command-and-control approach of the authoritarian state and towards a more trust-based approach", demanded the IfM project manager.
During the following discussion, she explained why Germany could follow the example of the Netherlands or the UK when it comes to reducing bureaucracy. She talked about the question "How less bureaucracy and more market economy can boost the economy" together with Albert Füracker (Bavarian State Minister for Home Affairs and Finance), Benjamin Strasser (Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Justice) and the entrepreneurs Christian W. E. Haub (Tengelmann) and Walter Sennebogen (Sennebogen Maschinenfabrik).
