Vogel, Sandra

The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM [1]) surveys and compares national entrepreneurial activity. In 2008, 43 countries participated in the GEM. In Germany, some 4,751 persons were interviewed on their entrepreneurial activities, aspirations and attitudes. In addition, 62 expert interviews were conducted to evaluate the general conditions for setting up a business in Germany. The following research results were presented in the GEM Germany 2008 report (in German) [2], published in June 2009, and in a short analysis (in German, 1.7Mb PDF) [3] for the Institute for Employment Research (Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung, IAB [4]). [1] http://www.gemconsortium.org/ [2] http://www.gemconsortium.org/document.aspx?id=921 [3] http://doku.iab.de/kurzber/2009/kb1509.pdf [4] http://www.iab.de/de

The family-owned Schaeffler Group [1] is an industrial conglomerate and one of the world’s leading car component manufacturers, which is based in Germany. The company’s bid for the much larger automotive industry supplier, Continental, was leveraged and Schaeffler is currently hard-pressed to service its debt due to the tense situation on the financial markets. [1] http://www.schaeffler.de/content.schaeffler.de/en/index.jsp?

The Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend, BMFSFJ [1]) commissioned a study to evaluate the current situation of mothers re-entering the labour market. The study, Returning to work after starting a family (in German, 146Kb PDF) [2], combined different research strategies. First, qualitative data was derived from 40 single interviews and 20 group sessions with eight to 10 participants lasting for three hours. Secondly, a survey comprising 3,000 interviews provided quantitative data. Subsequently, these findings were compared and matched with another survey entitled Typology of desires 2007–2008 (in German) [3]. [1] http://www.bmfsfj.de [2] http://www.bmfsfj.de/bmfsfj/generator/RedaktionBMFSFJ/Abteilung4/Newsletter/Im__Blick/Sonderausgabe-02/Medien/aktuelles-meldung-1-pdf-handout,property=pdf,bereich=,sprache=de,rwb=true.pdf [3] http://www.tdwi.com/ueberdietdw.html

On 2 April 2009, the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung, BIBB [1]) released a new study (in German, 283Kb PDF) [2] on the costs and benefits of the German vocational training [3] system. From April to August 2008, 2,986 establishments with 10,751 apprentices participated in a survey on vocational training. The survey covered the 51 most important occupations requiring vocational training from all fields of economic activity, including industry and commerce, the trades, public services and agriculture. The following study results highlight the fact that training young people initially generates additional costs. In the long run, however, vocational training generally pays off for both companies and establishments. [1] http://www.bibb.de/ [2] http://www.bibb.de/dokumente/pdf/a12_bibbreport_2009_08.pdf [3] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/vocational-training

Since the autumn of 2008, many companies and workers have been adversely affected by the global economic crisis. Following its first rescue package issued in the autumn of 2008, on 27 January 2009 the federal government adopted a second rescue package (in German) [1] that stipulates further investments worth about €50 billion. While the first package was meant to support the German banking system, the second package seeks to achieve broader goals: [1] http://www.bundesregierung.de/Content/DE/Artikel/2009/01/2009-01-27-zweites-konjunkturpaket.html

On 15 April 2009, the German Metalworkers’ Union (Industriegewerkschaft Metall, IG Metall [1]) and the Baden-Württemberg Employer Association for the Metal and Electrical Industry (Verband der Metall- und Elektorindustrie Baden-Württemberg, Südwestmetall [2]) concluded a new collective agreement (in German) [3] on short-time work in the bargaining region of Baden-Württemberg. The new agreement aims to deal with the effects of the deteriorating economic situation on companies with low order books. It will automatically expire on 31 December 2010. [1] http://www.bw.igm.de [2] http://www.suedwestmetall.de/swm/webswm.nsf/ID/DE_Home [3] http://www.bw.igm.de/tarife/tarifvertrag.html?id=31263

After lengthy debates in 2007, minimum wages were introduced in the postal services sector with effect from 1 January 2008 (*DE0711019I* [1]). The minimum wage in the postal sector was endorsed by the inclusion of mail delivery services in the Posted Workers Act (/Arbeitnehmer-Entsendegesetz/, AEntG [2]). However, a new study by the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (Deutscher Industrie- und Handelkammertag, DIHK [3]) shows that some companies in other sectors of the economy intend to reduce their staff if minimum wages are also introduced in their sector. [1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/unions-push-for-minimum-wage-in-the-postal-sector [2] http://bundesrecht.juris.de/aentg/index.html [3] http://www.dihk.de

In recent years, the situation of school-leavers in Germany has changed considerably. Many young people now encounter difficulties in securing an apprenticeship – in other words, a vocational training position – or entering the labour market. This trend is reflected in the rising number of so-called ‘old applicants’ (/Altbewerber/) registered at local employment agencies. Old applicants are defined as young people who failed to obtain an apprenticeship contract in the last round of applications. In 2006, for the first time, the share of old applicants among all applicants exceeded 50%. In August 2008, this percentage reached 52%.

On 22 October 2008, representatives of the federal and state governments met in Dresden, in the eastern federal state of Saxony, to discuss future education policy in Germany. The ‘Education summit’ was opened by the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, who called for more investment in education. Essential goals were set out in a joint declaration (in German, 190Kb PDF) [1]. It was agreed that spending on education was to be raised to 10% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2015. Furthermore, Chancellor Merkel stressed that the drop-out rates for school pupils and vocational trainees must be halved by 2015 – from 8% to 4% for school pupils and from 17% to 8.5% for vocational trainees. The needs of migrants, in particular, were addressed by the joint declaration at the education summit. However, any future measures must consider the significant differences that still exist between the integration of migrants and Germans into the labour market. These differences were analysed in a recent study by the Institute for Employment Research (Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung, IAB [2]). [1] http://www.bundesregierung.de/Content/DE/__Anlagen/2008/10/2008-10-22-bildungsgipfel,property=publicationFile.pdf [2] http://www.iab.de/de

On 3 September 2008, the employer association for the metal and electrical industry in Baden-Württemberg (Verband der Metall- und Elektorindustrie Baden-Württemberg, Südwestmetall [1]) and the German Metalworkers’ Union (Industriegewerkschaft Metall, IG Metall [2]) agreed on a new collective agreement on partial retirement. The agreement covers about 800,000 employees in the /Land/ (region) of Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany. It will come into effect on 1 January 2010 and cannot be cancelled for the first time before 31 January 2016. [1] http://www.suedwestmetall.de/swm/webswm.nsf/id/DE_Home [2] http://www.igmetall.de/cps/rde/xchg/internet