Publications
IfM Bonn publishes its research findings primarily in its publication series: study results are published as "IfM-Materials" - or in condensed form as a "Denkpapier" (summary). Statistical analyses and results appear in the series "Daten und Fakten". Discussion and technical papers from all research areas are published as "Working Papers".
In addition, until 2012 selected articles were published in the series "Schriften zur Mittelstandsforschung" (Gabler Verlag). Under the "External Publications" tab, you find numerous essays by IfM researchers that have appeared in (peer-reviewed) specialist journals and external publication series.
544 Results
IfM-Materialien | 2023 Entrepreneurship of minors: Prevalence and characteristics
Diese explorative Studie beleuchtet erstmals auf Basis des Taxpayer-Panels sowie selbst erhobener Daten die unternehmerische Selbstständigkeit von Minderjährigen.
Policy Brief "Entrepreneurship in Focus" | 2023 How young and established companies differ with regard to sustainability and digitisation efforts
The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor data from 2021 shows that new business owner-managers and established business owner-managers have different digitisation and sustainability efforts.
Facts and figures | 2023 Hybrid self-employment in the employment trajectory. Analyses based on the Taxpayer Panel 2001-2018
From a socio-political point of view, the growing number of hybrid self-employed is associated with the concern that gaps could open up in their old-age provision. However, hybrid self-employment episodes are usually of short duration, although they often occur several times in the course of employment.
Denkpapiere | 2023 “Gesellschaft mit gebundenen Vermögen” – A critical view of the legal form from an economic perspective
This paper analyses the new legal form of the "Gesellschaft mit gebundenem Vermögen" planned in the coalition agreement. It shows that the core elements of the legal form (asset lock as well as the retention of company shares in the so-called "capabilities and values family") could endanger rather than promote the continued existence of companies in the long term.
IfM-Materialien | 2023 Adapting to climate change: Exploring the specific challenges for SMEs
We investigate whether and how businesses perceive and adapt to climate change. Our survey results suggest that most German enterprises are aware of climate change and its consequences. The perception of climate risks is less driven by business size than by experience.
Policy Brief "Entrepreneurship in Focus" | 2023 Hybrid self-employed and paid employees with a mid-job
Starting in July 2019, midijobbers acquire full pension entitlements despite reduced contributions. This favours hybrid self-employed with midijob over-dependent employees.
External publication | 2023 In danger of being left behind?
Has the Mittelstand lost its charisma? Based on a corpus of newspaper articles, the autors use a multi-dimensional approach combining content, framing, and metaphor analysis to expose how media report about the digital transformation in the German Mittelstand.
Policy Brief "Entrepreneurship in Focus" | 2023 Regional social capital and the entrepreneurial process
Business start-ups do not take place in a vacuum but are deeply embedded in the regional social context.
External publication | 2023 Resilience of the construction sector: First insights on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the construction industry
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the German construction industry developed positively in 2020 and 2021 and was thus able to bolster the economy as a whole during this crisis.
External publication | 2023 How do working conditions, network relationships, and institutional support offers effect entrepreneurial intentions of German university scientists?
In this paper, we study whether and how (i) working conditions, (ii) network relationships, and (iii) institutional support offers simultaneously relate to entrepreneurial intentions among German university scientists.
External publication | 2023 Incentives, Values, and the Creation of Opportunities for Action and Interaction
Economic action requires well-functioning institutions, both formal and informal ones. In their chapter, the authors use the example of entrepreneurship in different contexts to explore the interplay between institutions, values, and the agency of entrepreneurs towards institutions.
IfM-Materialien | 2023 Impact of SMEs' innovation activity on their economic development in times of crisis
Which role do innovations play when companies are confronted with a crisis? This study ana-lyzes whether innovative companies fared better than their non-innovative counterparts throughout the Corona pandemic.
External publication | 2023 Servitization in the Manufacturing Industry: Where Do We Stand? Where Do We Come From?
Manufacturers are increasingly shifting their strategic focus from products to services to create customer value and defend a competitive edge in the marketplace. The transition process from product- to service-centric logic is referred to as servitization.
External publication | 2023 Strategic Emphasis on Service-Based Business Models During the Corona Crisis
Firms increasingly rely on service-based business models, such as customer solutions, to strengthen their market position and secure robust revenues in competitive environments. While extant research has shed light on the financial implications of service-based business models in general, no empirical research has yet explored whether a strategic emphasis on customer solutions pays-off or backfires in a global crisis such as the corona pandemic.
External publication | 2023 Business Solutions in the B2B World - A Systematic Literature Review
In an increasingly competitive environment, manufacturers are seeking for new ways of sustainable growth. Different resources (i.e., products, services, knowledge) are integrated into innovative business solutions to solve an entire customer problem.
External publication | 2023 Anorganized anarchy? Understanding the role of German cooperation in the constructionand export of the dual training model
The role of German cooperation as a key force behind the worldwide dissemination of dual training is well‐established within the specialized literature. The multilayered and fragmented nature of the German cooperation landscape suggests that German efforts in this area follow a complex and evolving interplay of motivations—yet the rationales behind Germany's bilateral work in the area of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) ..
External publication | 2023 attractiveness of Indian Polytechnicsgraduates — An analysis from the (demand-side) perspective of companies and colleges
The paper examines the attractiveness of graduates from Indian Polytechnics (PTs). The attractiveness is examinedfrom the perspective of actors who have a demand for thegraduates, namely companies and engineering colleges.To understand the reasons for their assessment ofattractiveness, this study uses the concept of institutionallogics (ILs) to unveil the inherent reasons behind thestakeholders' perception of attractiveness.
External publication | 2023 Theory and Practice of Teaching and Learning in the Classroom – Lessons from Indian Industrial Training Institutes
In India, the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) are a vital part the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system. Previous research reveals that in addition to some other problems, it is the strongly theory-based training that impedes the transition of VET graduates into the labour market, and leads to a lack of work-readiness in young graduates.
External publication | 2023 Bureaucracy costs of companies in the mechanical and plant engineering industries
The study examines the specific bureaucratic costs that arise in the everyday operations of three selected companies in the mechanical and plant engineering sector.
IfM-Materialien | 2022 The EU's support measures for sustainable financing - implications for the Mittelstand
The EU Commission seeks to mobilize private funds for the sustainability transformation of the European economy through several regulatory measures. This study investigates the impact of this regulatory development on the German Mittelstand, i.e., owner-managed companies.