The purpose of the independent institute is to analyse the situation, development and problems of SMEs
Friederike Welter, Professor of Economics in Siegen, has been confirmed as President of the IfM Bonn for a further six-year term. She has been head of the the well-known research institute since 2013. The purpose of the IfM Bonn is to analyse continually the situation, business development and problems of Mittelstand enterprises and to contribute to the optimisation of the economic environment.
A particular benefit of the independent institute is the interdisciplinary structure of the research teams: In addition to macro and business economists there are also psychologists and sociologists doing research. This approach has enabled the IfM Bonn to identify topics at a very early stage that later became relevant for the Mittelstand. Recently, the recommendations for reducing bureaucracy and improving public procurement law have received widespread attention. However, there is also great interest on estimates of the succession situation in Germany and the annual regional ranking "New Entrepreneurial Initiatives" (NUI).
In addition to her full-time position as IfM President, Prof Dr h.c. Friederike Welter is Professor of Business Administration, in particular management of small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurship, at the University of Siegen. She was last awarded an honorary doctorate at the University of Glasgow in 2023 for her research on small and medium-sized enterprises.
The economist has been a member of the Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation (EFI) since 2022. She is also a member of the SME Advisory Board of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, on the Advisory Board of the of the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and chairwoman of the "EXIST" advisory board of experts.
