Mr Rainer Schäffer, owner of a property management company, on his own behalf raises an important question published in a recent press statement. He argues that Germany’s economy is primarily based upon small entities, i.e. very small entities (up to 9 employees) account for approx. 90 percent, small companies (10 to 49 staff) for 8 percent whereas medium-sized companies and major enterprises (from 50 employees up) make up 2 percent of all companies. Thus, who is really talked about when politicians and economic decision makers talk about “medium-sized” companies?
Politicians, associations, chambers of commerce and the media in their discussions were always talking about medium-sized entities, although only 250.000 companies formed part of this size segment in Germany. There are, however, approx. 3.2 million small and very small entities. This quantitative preponderance on the one hand and the prevalence of the expression “medium-sized” in public discussions on the other were therefore not reflecting economic reality.
Mr. Schäffers complaints that currently small and very small entities do neither feel particularly addressed to nor do they think that their needs are duly considered by politicians, chambers of commerce and economic associations. They were either completely looked over or economic figures relating to them abused and simply attributed to medium-sized companies. According to Mr. Schäffers experience, small and very small entities want to be perceived and treated according to their national importance and therefore expect to be portrayed correctly and equally.
MittelstandsBlog think: Mr. Schäffer´s argument seems to be quite justified. 