Obwohl das Business in der Möbelindustrie zurzeit ganz gut läuft, darf die augenblickliche Situation nicht darüber hinwegtäuschen, dass so manches Geschäftsmodell auf eher wackligen Füßen steht. Dr. Timo Renz, Branchenexperte und Partner bei W&P hält es für wichtig, das Risikomanagement gerade jetzt zu optimieren.

Der Begriff des "Geschäftsmodells" ist heute aus keinem Unternehmen mehr wegzudenken. Sogar an einigen Börsen wird bereits die Beschreibung des Ge- schäftsmodells als Teil der Berichter- stattung an die Aktionäre verlangt. Auch umgangssprachlich, in Politik und Gesellschaft, spricht man heute von Geschäftsmodellen. Ein inflationär verwendeter Modebegriff? In gewisser Weise ja – auch auf den Führungsetagen zahlreicher Unternehmen in der Elektro- und speziell in der Lichtbranche.

Die Schuldenkrise und insbesondere die (Re-)Finanzierungsprobleme von Griechenland machen deutlich, was passiert, wenn man über seine Verhältnisse lebt und die
Wettbewerbsfähigkeit verliert. Der Cashflow geht zurück, die Verschuldung steigt, der Kapitaldienst kann nicht mehr geleistet werden. Leistungswirtschaftlich betrachtet ist der Ressourceneinsatz zu hoch, die Produktivität zu gering und die technische Ausstattung nicht "State of the Art".
Sparen ist angesagt – aber es fehlen dann die notwendigen Investitionen, um die Produktivität zu steigern und wieder wettbewerbsfähig zu werden; die Negativ-Spirale dreht sich. Welche Konsequenzen hat das das konkret für Finanzierer und Unternehmen? Was "taugen" mögliche Lösungsansätze?

Die Schuldenkrise war das wohl bestimmende Element in der finanz- und wirtschaftspolitischen Diskussion der letzten Monate und wird es wohl auch bleiben. "Schutzschirm", so scheint es, ist das neue Instrument zur Bewältigung von Liquiditätsengpässen, ob für hoffnungsvolle oder eben für hoffnungslose Fälle wird sich zeigen.
Mit dem Schutzschirmverfahren steht seit 01. März auch für Krisenunternehmen erstmals in Deutschland ein Instrument gegen "bösartige" Gläubiger zur Verfügung.
Die Bekämpfung der Schuldenkrise erfolgt durch neue Schulden, von neuen Schuldnern, die globalen Ungleichgewichte bleiben bestehen, die Realwirtschaft scheint sich aber davon abgekoppelt zu haben.
Uns interessiert deshalb in diesem Jahr, was dies alles für die Unternehmensfi nanzierung bedeutet, zumal sich unabhängig von allen Staatsproblemen durch Basel III das Mix der Finanzierungsinstrumente nachhaltig verändern dürfte.

Währungskrisen, EU-Schuldenkrise, drohende Inflationsszenarien, die Basel III-Kriterien und das daraus entstehende Verhalten der Bankpartner zwingen Mittelstandsunternehmen verstärkt zu neuen Finanzierungswegen und "unkonventioneller" Geldbeschaffung. Mit der Veröffentlichung der Vorschläge der EU Kommission zur Umsetzung von Basel III wurde ein neues Zeitalter eröffnet. Die Kommission verfolgt damit das nachvollziehbare Ziel, die Kreditwirtschaft auf ein stabileres Fundament zu stellen, um so die Krisenwahrscheinlichkeiten wie auch die Krisenanfälligkeiten der einzelnen Kreditinstitute in der EU zu reduzieren. Doch Basel III trifft nicht nur die Banken, sondern auch den Mittelstand.

Gewinn erzielen heisst Zukunft sichern. Gewinn schafft unternehmerische Freiräume, ermöglicht nachhaltig Dividenden und sichert dauerhaft die Existenz eines Unternehmens – vorausgesetzt er ist tragfähig, robust und zukunftsfähig. Doch wann verdient ein Unternehmen "genug"? Ist der Gewinn noch steigerungsfähig? Und: Ist er wirklich stabil – auch in schlechten Zeiten? Diese Fragen stellen sich Manager und Unternehmer zwar häufig – ausgesprochen und in Angriff genommen aber werden sie selten.

Die Unternehmernachfolge ist durch eine häufig brisante Gemengelage aus emotionalen und rationalen Entscheidungsinhalten gekennzeichnet. Es wird nicht nur ein Unternehmen übergeben, sondern ein Lebenswerk, menschliche Bindungen zu Kunden, Lieferanten, Geschäftspartnern und Mitarbeitern. Sozialprestige, Anerkennung, Öffentlichkeit, Markt und finanzielle Situation stehen nicht in der Bilanz.
"Sie sind und waren jedoch die Antriebskräfte des "scheidenden" Unternehmers -- und werden auch die Triebkräfte für den "neuen" Unternehmer sein", mahnt Berater und Nachfolge-Experte Prof. Norbert Wieselhuber.

Immer schneller und dynamischer wechselt die wirtschaftliche Entwicklung zwischen Boom und Krise, und die digitale Transformation wirbelt tradierte Geschäftsmodelle munter durcheinander.
Verunsicherte Unternehmer ziehen gerne externen Sachverstand hinzu, um ihre strategischen Weichenstellungen mit Expertise von außen zu flankieren.

Die Entwicklungen des Web 3.0 sind keine technischen Spielereien, sondern bedürfen einer konkreten Entwicklung und Integration in die Unternehmensstrategie.
Daher ist dieses Thema für die zukünftige strategische Entwicklung und Ausrichtung von Unternehmen elementar. Ganz egal, ob in einer B2B- oder B2C-Branche, ob mittelständisch oder konzerngeführt – jedes Unternehmen kann in vielerlei Hinsicht von den neuen Entwicklungen profitieren.

Things are bubbling over in the beverage industry. In terms of revenue and earnings, the greater part of beverage companies are under massive pressure, as the margins for producers are extremely low due to the high purchasing control that retailers and traders have, based on product demand. As a result, it is often the case that only a single percentage point of sales volume is the decider between a profit and a loss, depending on seasonal developments like weather or sporting results, which cannot be influenced in any way. The managements of beverage companies are in a difficult situation, as it is precisely questions concerning financing, the consequences and impact of economic and cyclical developments, social, political and strategic determining factors and conditions, as well as product and marketing success which often remain unanswered. They fall under the radar on account of the operative preparations for the coming season. Yet answers to these questions are crucial for companies' survival. It's only those who adapt their business models accordingly, who in future will withstand the increasing pressure of market-related and purchasing-related uncertainties in the beverage industry – and not sooner or later be left high and dry. This is the conclusion arrived at by the current publication "Management of Business Models in the Beverage Industry" from Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner.

Jedes Unternehmen, besser noch, jede Unternehmenskonfiguration hat seine Zeit. Und: "Wer nicht mit der Zeit geht, geht mit der Zeit". Doch wie gelingt es Unternehmen "zeitgemäß", zukunfts- und überlebensfähig zu gestalten?

Finanzkrise mit ungewissem Ausgang, explodierende Rohstoffpreise oder eine zunehmende Konzentration im Möbelhandel: Die Einflüsse, die auf die Industrie einströmen, sind immens und oftmals nicht kalkulierbar. Wie schaffen es Unternehmen trotzdem, sich robust und zukunftsfähig aufzustellen, egal, was draußen passiert?

Das richtige Geschäftsmodell ist entscheidend, damit der Vertrieb Erfolg hat und ein Unternehmen langfristig in seinem Markt bestehen kann. Strategisches Geschäftsmodellmanagement liefert "Stellschrauben", um Marktsignale rechtzeitig positiv zu nutzen.
Was der Vertrieb im Geschäftsmodellmanagement beachten sollte und welche Kernkriterien ein gutes Geschäftsmodellmanagement auszeichnen lesen Sie hier.

Unter der Oberfläche in der Backbranche gärt es gewaltig. In den letzten fünf Jahren hat sich der Anteil der Discounter als Einkaufsstätte für Brot auf fast 40 Prozent hochgearbeitet. Die Filialisten stehen nach drastischer Ausweitung der Flächen vor einem harten Konsolidierungsprozess - und die Flächenproduktivitäten sinken. Insofern ist das Ausscheiden eines Anbieters wie Müller für die Kunden durchaus verkraftbar.

Die Markenmärkte sind im Umbruch. Der extreme Variantenreichtum an Produkten großer Marken, der in den letzten Jahren vorherrschte, wird bald der Vergangenheit angehören. Denn: Markenartikler verlassen auf der Suche nach neuen Wachstumsquellen jetzt ihre traditionellen Marktsegmente und greifen in neuen Bereichen den Wettbewerb offen an.

Strukturierte Finanzierungen und Clubdeals stehen bei Unternehmen und Banken derzeit hoch im Kurs: So ist das Unternehmen auf einige Jahre vollständig durchfinanziert und muss nicht mit einzelnen Banken verhandeln. Die arrangierenden Häuser hingegen profitieren bei Vertragsabschluss von hohen Erträgen und können unter Umständen die Finanzierung bilanzschonend ausplatzieren. Ist also endlich das ideale Finanzierungsinstrument für den Mittelstand gefunden?

What are the overriding goals that companies from the German electrical industry are pursuing? What is it that distinguishes especially successful companies from those that are not so successful? And what contribution does professional innovation management make to overall success? Answers to these questions are provided by the updated company benchmark report %u2018Fit for the Future 2011', which was carried out for the sixth time in succession by a co-operation between ZVEI (Zentralverband Elektrotechnik- und Elektronikindustrie), the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association and Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P). The ZVEI Future Index provides an overview of the current condition of the industry, the future prospects of the industry and the success factors for those companies identified as top level companies. The results are interesting: The top level companies of the industry have virtually set themselves apart in a league of their own and were able to attain marked increases in sales in comparison to the figures from the previous year. An important factor for success for many companies is the intelligent handling of the issue of innovation management.

Successful innovations and efficient Innovation management stand for a future-proof corporate development – this fundamental principle applies to all sectors of the economy. But what is the distinctive sign of innovation management that is characteristic of successful companies? How do they approach such an issue in practice and how do they distribute their resources in the innovation process? Which management capabilities determine the practical implementation of the innovation strategy? These are the questions to which the top Management Consultant Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P) has sought to provide answers in its current panel of entrepreneurs "Peak Innovators – Excellence in the Management of Innovations in the Electrical Industry", in which one of the most successful and largest German industrial sector – the Electrical Industry – is critically examined. The survey provides exciting insights into the objectives and investments of the companies polled as well as analyses the courses and magnitude of success in the innovation process, which decisively contribute to profit-yielding corporate growth. The results were presented this week, at the "Sector Workshop: Electrical Industry" in Frankfurt am Main and complemented by the experiences amongst others, of Dr Gunther Kegel, Chairman of the Management Board of Pepperl + Fuchs GmbH, Roland Bent, Managing Director of Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG and Professor Dr. Eckhard Minx, Futurologist and long-term Research Manager at Daimler AG.

The German beer market is suffering from a hangover: for years now, the market has been stagnating and breweries are dealing with a massive slump in sales. The historic all-time low for German beer consumption of 101.4 litres per capita is definitely jointly responsible for this situation, yet the causes for the crisis are far more multi-faceted: many brewers reacted to the cost pressures from increasing energy prices by making massive investments in energy systems – these cost increases are today undermining the profits of the brewing companies. Added to this are the increasing prices for malting barley and continuous cost increases in road transport and haulage, in short: flagging consumption is occurring concurrently with increasing factor costs – and this cost differential is calling the future viability of many breweries into question. Surplus capacity of over thirty per cent, as well as hard-fought price wars in the context of promotion policies are bringing the brewers to their knees. The only winner in this situation is the consumer, who is profiting from rock-bottom prices. At present, a fundamental and far-reaching solution for the industry is not in sight. In fact, a further upsurge in consolidation is pending, which will lead to urgently required capacity adjustments in the industry – according to the outlook from top management consultancy firm Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P).

Health Food shops have long been regarded as losers in the boom in organic products. However: just in time for the 125th anniversary of the existence of the business segment "Health Food Shops", the Association of Health Food Shops (Reformhausvereinigung neuform eG) has, in cooperation with dealers and manufacturers, succeeded in decisively reversing the economic trend. Based on a concept that offers the customer far more than the Wholefood Shop for organic products or the chemist can offer, Health Food shops have once again, been able to secure a sound position in the market for LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) within the past four years. This result was reported in the aftermath of a recent interview of consumers conducted by Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P) among 1000 market participants. The survey that was conducted for the first time in 2008 provided alarming results at the time. Today, the picture looks different.

Turnover in the market for the auctioning of art objects has for the year 2011, presumably broken all available records of approx. EUR 8 Billion.
The signs for 2012 are equally positive.
But what are the underlying market structures for this spectacular recovery after the catastrophe of the year 2009?
Which segments have proven to be particularly lucrative and how do its dynamics affect the auction market? And: what is the forecast for superstar China? Will there be an "overheating" of prices?

It happens year after year: In time for the IMM Cologne international furnishing show, questions are preying on the minds of the business leaders and decision makers of the furniture and furnishing sector with regard to the "future viability" of their businesses: How strong are the culture and the strategy of the company? How successful and how "set apart" are the product range and the marketing concepts? How efficient is the value creation effected by the organisation and procedures? How secure is the business financing – especially in the event of a market downturn, which in the light of the euro crisis, comparable to the crisis in 2009, is within the realms of possibility? These challenges will not be successfully negotiated with operational measures or a hectic operational approach alone. In fact, what is needed is to actively configure the business model of furnishing companies, in order, on the one hand, to make them robust - independent of external scenarios that are incapable of being influenced, and at the same time to make them viable for the future. This is the conclusion drawn by the industry experts from Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P).

The established Consultancy company for Family enterprises Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner GmbH (W&P) will be strengthening its circle of partners in the new year. Dr. Walter Stadlbauer, 49, Johannes Spannagl, 53 and Dr. Timo Renz, 43 will be admitted into the circle of partners of W&P which has hitherto been made up of the two Managing Partners Prof. Dr. Norbert Wieselhuber and Dr. Volkhard Emmrich, as from 01st January 2012.

Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner GmbH is supporting the non-profit charitable association "Elterninitiative Kinderklinik Großhadern" (Parents' Initiative for the Paediatric Clinic) at the Munich University Hospital in Großhadern with a donation. Prof. Dr. Norbert Wieselhuber, CEO of the executive board of the Munich-based management consultancy firm, together with Gustl F. Thum, the Head of Marketing and Public Relations at W&P, yesterday presented a cheque for this purpose to Prof. Dr. Heinrich Netz, the head of paediatric cardiology.

Large family-owned businesses still rank amongst the top 25 in the industry in the facility management sector - but their market position is seriously endangered. Six years ago family-owned businesses still commanded a markedly larger share of the market in comparison with corporate enterprises, but in the intervening years, they have gambled away their lead – such that by 2010 already, corporate enterprises in the top 25 facility management service providers had a turnover of around 5.8 billion euro, which is almost double the turnover made by family-owned businesses – and this trend is continuing. So what measures need to be adopted by family-owned businesses in order to survive at all in a market with declining growth forecasts? What does a sustainable service portfolio look like which family-owned businesses can employ to successfully compete against corporate enterprises? The current Facility Management 2011 dossier from management consultancy firm Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P) deals with these key questions.

The current changes in technology through LED and OLED are revolutionising the lighting industry: Within the next five to ten years, LEDs will dominate the lighting market. By 2020 the total (lighting) market worldwide will have almost doubled from its current market volume of forty-six billion euro to a size of eighty-three billion euro. By this time, the LED proportion will have virtually exploded from its current nine per cent to reach sixty per cent. This is the conclusion drawn by the industry experts from Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P). These extreme, far-reaching changes will alter the lighting industry in a lasting way and will call a completely new set of the rules of the game into action.

On the 27th of October the wait was over: the top management consultancy for family-owned businesses, Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P) again extended an invitation for the tenth occasion to a business forum in the Literaturhaus in Munich. Headlined under the general theme "Corporate Architects", around 150 guests from politics, culture, sport and business – amongst them outstanding entrepreneurial personalities from family-owned businesses – took advantage of the established platform provided by the forum, in order to exchange ideas across industry sectors about different strategies for success.

The markets for branded goods are undergoing far-reaching changes. The extreme wealth of variation in products from big brands which predominated in recent years will soon be a thing of the past. The reason: Brand companies, in the search for new sources of growth, are abandoning their traditional market segments and are openly making a direct assault on the competition in new areas. Milk and cheese (dairy) providers are breaking in to the market for coffee products, specialists in the segment for disinfection products are moving into the world of washing products, takeaway coffee brands are now stocked for retail. The consequences: So that they don't end up falling victim to the invasion strategy of the %u2018new' competition, up to one third of all well-known manufacturers of consumer goods will follow this trend. This is the conclusion drawn from a current survey carried out by Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner involving twenty-four well-known companies in the consumer goods industry.

What are the current challenges and traps for corporate restructuring in the debt crisis environment? What factors influence the options provided by banks in reorganisations? Answers and concrete recommendations for action are given by a current survey of Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner in which about 50 experts - mainly from the areas of renovation/intensive care and credit - presented their views. It becomes clear that he bankers think that the high indebtedness of companies is the main factor that prevents successful reorganisation, followed by problems with increasing resource and energy costs and volatility of the procurement and sales markets. Another critical factor is the heterogeneous structure of the liabilities causing problems in reaching a consensus.

Die Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner GmbH hat ein neues Fahrzeug für die Stiftung Ambulantes Kinderhospiz München als einer der Hauptsponsoren mitfinanziert. Im Rahmen eines Sommerfestes wurde jetzt das Auto seitens der Sponsoren an das Gründerehepaar Bronner übergeben.

The German foodstuffs industry is not given any respite. The prices of many
raw materials have reached astronomic heights – more increases seem certain. Essential
domestic markets are saturated, but growth in young export markets is limited by brand
popularity. Market shake-out is imminent. What strategies are still available to companies to
free themselves from the cost trap? Which options do they have for action in the "sandwich
position" between price and cost pressure? These are the issues the current industry study
"Food & Beverages 2011" performed by Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P), in cooperation
with West LB, deals with.

The global market for safety technology is experiencing a Golden Age in the military, as well as in the civil area. It is expected to grow by more than 7 percent per year from the current approx. 59 Bn Euro to more than 73 Bn in 2014. This boom will lead to massive changes to the structure of this previously solidly structured industry; an entirely new competitive environment is created. Where different market mechanics previously led to clear borders between the military/paramilitary and civil areas, they are now dissolved by industry-insiders, as well as increasingly by actors outside of the industry; previously applicable rules are rendered ineffective. The market is resorted. In some areas, market shares are redistributed entirely. Concentration and consolidation trends will increase a lot. By 2015, this trend could lead to the loss of 20 percent of all suppliers. This is the conclusion of the industry experts of Munich corporate consulting Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P).

They are known best from the consumer goods area, where consumers are in direct contact with brands like Brandt Zwieback, Veltins, Bogner, bulthaup or Miele. However, brands like Viessmann, Kärcher, Karl Storz or Braun have a high value for intermediaries, purchasers and users on the consumer-distant B2B-industry markets as well. Merchants – such as Otto, Fielmann, Schlecker, Berner – and service providers like Dussmann, Ferchau, Käfer, Klett or Holtzbrinck are also characterised by their brands. The people behind these names stand for services, appearance and conduct towards customers, suppliers, capital providers and employees. What are the peculiarities, challenges and interactions that result from an identity between person and brand?
For the first time, Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P) asked these questions of leading family-entrepreneurs in the entrepreneur panel "Entrepreneur characterise brands". The persons asked agree: brand management in entrepreneur brands is the boss' work only.

Eltville - A new platform of entrepreneurial dialogue raises great interest and agreement. Entrepreneur circle participation in the previous regional entrepreneur salons shows that the "small round" is more beneficial for business managers than large events.
After Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and North-Rhine Westphalia, the first Hessian entrepreneur's salon took place at Schloß Reinhartshausen last night upon invitation by Prof. Dr. Wieselhuber.

Politics have firmly decided on the turn in energy. A new age is dawning for the solar industry. Photovoltaic energy will play an even more important role than ever in the energy mix of the future. However, this means that the demands to the degree of professionalism in the industry are rising as well. Trends like the demand relocation away from Germany and towards international markets, subsidy reduction and market consolidation force increasing numbers of companies to take radical measures to ensure sustainability. This is proven by the current "Quo vadis Solar Market" expert survey conducted by Munich corporate consulting company Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner.

Organised by Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner, together with WestLB and Lebensmittel Praxis, the Food & Beverages industry in Frankfurt premiered on 30 June. It is dedicated to the subject of "The German foodstuffs industry in the tension field of increasing raw materials prices and saturated markets.- strategies for success and growth impulses" and exclusively targeted at decision-makers from industry and trade in the German foodstuffs industry.

After successful initial events in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, Prof. Dr. Wieselhuber now invited to the "1st W&P entrepreneur salon North-Rhine Westphalia" in Schloß Bensberg. Once more, the creation of corporate sustainability was at the focus of the evening visited by 38 local entrepreneurs. As an introduction, renowned economist Prof. Dr. Beatrice Weder di Mauro spoke on the "Opportunities of growth: Global perspectives for tomorrow's wealth". Well versed in the economy, she is a member of the German expert council for assessment of the overall economic development. Her explanations painted a clear picture of the national and international challenges to be faced by the European community of states and Germany.

Die Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner GmbH hat sich entschlossen, ein neues Periodikum zu starten, den W&P-HealthCareSupport. Dieser wird Health-Care-Entscheider regelmäßig über Neuigkeiten unseres Competence Centers Health Care informieren. Enthalten sind u.a. Informationen über Interviews und Statements des W&P-Management, neue Veröffentlichungen des Hauses, Ergebnisse aus unseren Branchen- und Funktions-Teams und Veranstaltungen des nächsten Quartals.

Nicht nur das wirtschaftliche und politische Umfeld, auch die Anforderungen an Layout und Struktur sind einem laufenden Wandel unterworfen. Im achten Jahr unseres bisherigen Newsletters "Sanierung und Insolvenz" tragen wir dem durch eine ganzheitliche Neugestaltung Rechnung und freuen uns, Ihnen den aktuellen Newsletter "Restructuring & Finance" vorstellen zu dürfen.

Ensuring sustainability of companies poses great challenges to the management – after all, it's dealing with the future. Increasing structural change, increasing complexity and dynamics of changes cannot be answered with operative measures – structural changes require strategic decisions after reconfiguration of the company.

Die Industrie boomt und freut sich über steigende Absatzzahlen. Doch für viele Unternehmen steht damit auch eine entscheidende Frage im Raum: Wie soll dieser Wachstumsschub finanziert werden? Die Krisenjahre haben Spuren in den Bilanzen hinterlassen, eine Kreditauswertung ist oft teuer. Mit einem Kredit beim Lieferanten können Wachstumshürden in der Finanzierung bestens überwunden werden.

After the great success of the 1st Munich Health Forum in 2010, W&P decided on the continuation in the extremely heterogeneous hospital landscape of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Almost 40 representatives of the branch in Düsseldorf followed the statements of Dr. Jens Spahn, spokesperson for health policy of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag on the topic "Krankenhauslandschaft 2020 – Stationäre Versorgung der Zukunft" ("Hospital landscape 2020 – in-patient provision of the future") as well as the speech by F. Schmitz (W&P) on "W&P-Kooperationskompass" ("W&P cooperation compass") with great interest.

What are the superordinated objectives companies have in the German electronics industry? What differentiates particularly successful companies from those less so? What does the value-generation strategy of this industry look like? Answers to this are provided by the corporate benchmark "Fit for the Future 2010", which was performed as a cooperation of ZVEI (Zentralverband Elektrotechnik- und Elektronikindustrie) and Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P). The ZVEI Future Index has been offering an overview of the present situation, future perspectives and the factors for success of the complete industry for five years already. An interesting result is that in particular the peak companies came out of the crisis year of 2009 surprisingly well and continued to profit. However, the previously clear sustainability head start of the industry leaders is decreasing.

The German photovoltaic market (PV) has been subject to enormous growth development in the past three years. The market size will more than quadruple with 3.6 billion euro in 2007 to about 14.5 billion euro in 2010.

The economic crisis clearly showed the degree of professionalism in business management today. Short-time work and staff reduction, harsh working capital management and "management or controlling on sight" have prevented financing bottlenecks and kept the effects of the crisis manageable. The subsequent quick recovery of the economy illustrates the considerable flexibility of many companies and the high degree of professionalism in the different functional areas.
Does this suffice to actually ensure maximum EBIT, however?

The wish of spending their old age in their own four walls is deeply rooted in many people. In fact, however, it is often not possible for old persons and their families to retain the old ladies' and gentlemen's independence, to prevent them from growing lonely or neglected and to ensure their recovery and well-being.

Suspension of compulsory military service as of 1 July 2011 also means that there will no longer be any community service. This is a great challenge for German hospitals. After all, 15 percent of the roughly 90,000 young men opting for community service instead of military service are assigned to hospitals. From Mid-2011 onwards, hospitals will have to compensate for the work of about 13,400 community servants. They are to expect additional annual expenses amounting to approximately 53.1 Mio. Euro. This only applies if at least half of the target number of 35,000 men and women register for the "voluntary service" (freiwilliger Dienst; BFD) as intended by the Federal government. According to the result of a current analysis performed by Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P), the additional costs are likely to amount to as much as 74 million Euros without them.

What expectations do a bank's re-organisation departments have to private equity companies? What defence is there against creditor attacks on portfolio companies in a crisis? What does the financing landscape look like after the crisis? What innovative approaches for verification of a company's business model are there for investors? In a nutshell: How can risks in the private equity industry be managed while also designing the future?
These are the questions asked by renowned representatives of the German private equity scene in the scope of the first "W&P meets Private Equity" congress to which top management consulting company Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P) invited to the Burghotel Staufeneck in Salach on 22-23 November.

On Friday, 12 November 2010 the German Parliament enacted the Statutory Health Insurance Financing Law.
A substantial part of the Statutory Health Insurance Financing Law is concerned with stabilising expenditure on acute inpatient, psychiatric and psychosomatic hospitals. On one hand, the provisions of the Statutory Health Insurance Financing Law mean that the overall expenditure for the output volume of these facilities will be reduced. Prior to the intervention of the legislature, the intention was that the overall budget for these facilities would increase in accordance with the so-called basic rate of pay.

While the turbulences of the past 18 months forced many companies to focus their efforts on securing liquidity, reducing costs and operational efficiency, today, many people are talking about an economic upturn. However, which lifting forces do companies feel and how sustainable are these? Which consequences do companies draw from the increasing volatility of the markets and demand for the flexibility of their company as well as the company's own risk management? On the basis of which business model should future challenges be approached – perhaps the same as the one prior to the crisis? Renowned speakers focused on these and similar questions during the 1st W&P Unternehmer-Salon Baden-Württemberg on 4 November 2010 at Solitude Palace, to which Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner invited.

Demand-oriented and economic patient care seem to be called for now.
How, though, can this be implemented in a German clinic landscape usually organised around the full-provider claim of its institutions, providing regional coverage and now seemingly unable to cope with either staff or money requirements, with clear dissonances caused by state-specific differences and not yet ready to face its greatest political and demographic challenges?
Last night, renowned lecturers dealt with these issues in the scope of the 1st Munich Health Forum, a new event cooperation between top management consulting company Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P) and the Nuremberg district association of the Gesundheitspolitischer Arbeitskreis der CSU (GPA).

A new era begins for the illumination industry: The current technology change by LED and OLED brings with it a deep change on the market. Massive market consolidation is expected – more than half of all German players are endangered in the medium to long term. To stop the lights from going out for the domestic lamp industry, companies have to make use of the potentials offered by this change now. They need to say good-bye to traditional structures and reconfigure their business models to prevent being pushed from the market by providers from the Far East, as is currently threatening to happen.
A current market analysis by Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P) shows: German lamp manufacturers play an increasingly small role on the mature, stagnating domestic market.

The Federal President awarded the Federal Cross of Merit with ribbon to founder and managing partner of Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner GmbH, Prof. Dr. Norbert Wieselhuber (61). The medal was handed over by Vice Minister President and Bavarian Minister for Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport, and Technology, Martin Zeil, in a celebration in the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs on 18 October 2010.

The published figures of the Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) in 2010 show that more than four out of ten strive the succession within the familiy. Almost 48% recruit their successor on the market.

With their industry- and subject-specific events, W&P have long been a platform for high-quality expert dialogue. Training and further training of young managers is one of the highest priorities for the top management consultants – both internally and externally. Therefore, W&P regularly provide lecturers passing on their specialist knowledge from life-long practical experience to the participants of further training events.
Currently, they are cooperating with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Krisenmanagement e.V. in a restructuring manager certificate course.

The management of hospital facilities experiences a paradigm shift. The pressure to perform and cost pressure demand commercial profitability and service orientation. Though there have been many reorganization measures, administration structures and changes in processes the structural concepts to cut costs are not sufficient to ensure a long-time viability.
Only an intelligent improvement of contentual processes provides sustainable efficiency and leads to competitive costs and performance-orientated output.
Therefore modern process management methods need to be used more efficient and industrial experiences must be exploited.

The positioning of a company does not only take place in a company itself but in the minds of the people. To portray your company as design-orientated, expeditious and competent in advisory the precondition is a comprehensible and consequently communicated positioning. But how to operate when surrounding conditions change? At that time it is recommended to put the positioning of your company to the test.

How to get a competitive advantage is demonstrated by Dr. Walter Stadlbauer, director of the competence center Management Consulting at Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner GmbH and Andreas M. Lohner, Senior Project Manager in the article Code of practice for innovative business models.

Which factors promote the failure of many restructuring projects in Europe?
What can we learn from successful restructuring cases?
Do politics and economics know where to begin to eventually make the turnaround?
These and other questions are on the agenda of the 11th European Restructuring Summit, which will take place on September 15th at the Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria.
Volker Riedel, Senior Project Manager at Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner will make his contribution in a case study about the specifics of restructuring projects in family owned businesses and their successful realization.

A consultant of Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner was engaged by the German magazine "Photovoltaik" to report from the biggest global solar fair "Intersolar Europe".

The Recruiting Fair of the University of Applied Sciences Munich, an established recruiting platform for many companies was the fourth successful event for students and employers.
As a sponsor with a university teaching position at the business school Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner was represented by two consultants who informed about their work at Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner and advisory services in general - the student's enthusiasm hardly one the wane.

An interview with Professor Norbert Wieselhuber about his understanding of his occupation which lets him regard himself not only as a management consultant but a designer.

The economic and financial crisis has also affected family owned businesses. A survey of the German magazine "Unternehmeredition" shows trends, challenges and the aims of the interviewees.

The Marketing Barometer, a survey of the Marketing-Club Munich e.V. and Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner GmbH Management Consultancy is conducted among Marketing and Sales Experts in the area of Munich. The survey analyses the current business climate and the expected marketing activities and -budgets in the next 6 months.