Hidden Champions (HCs) are firms unknown to the wider public, but global leaders in the niche markets they serve. This paper looks at distinctive features of these firms, focusing on their dynamic capabilities. Employing a unique data base on German firms, we identify a representative sample of...

The paper reviews the evidence on the challenges of digitalization for direct (corporate profit) and indirect (consumption) taxation. Based on both anecdotal and empirical evidence, we evaluate ongoing developments at the OECD and European Union level and argue that there is no justification for...

Both M&A and innovation are instruments for growth and competitive advantage. Therefore they are fundamental to each firm?s competitive strategy. Usually, both instruments have been studied separately, but much less in conjunction. This is unfortunate as both processes - the process of...

Both M&A and innovation are instruments for growth and competitive advantage. Therefore they are fundamental to each firm?s competitive strategy. Usually, both instruments have been studied separately, but much less in conjunction. This is unfortunate as both processes - the process of...

International engagement is often expected to improve firm performance. Especially for small technology-oriented firms, export activities may be important, being regarded as one way to amortise these firms? high product research and development costs. This paper examines the relationship between...

Outsourcing is widely associated with accompanied job losses in the outsourcing firm, at least in the short run. However, the medium and long run effects of outsourcing on employment growth might still be positive. This paper particularly focuses on IT outsourcing and its medium-term effects on...

International engagement is often expected to improve firm performance. Especially for small technology-oriented firms, export activities may be important, being regarded as one way to amortise these firms? high product research and development costs. This paper examines the relationship between...

Outsourcing is widely associated with accompanied job losses in the outsourcing firm, at least in the short run. However, the medium and long run effects of outsourcing on employment growth might still be positive. This paper particularly focuses on IT outsourcing and its medium-term effects on...

The paper analyses the impact of venture capital finance on growth and innovation activities of young German firms. Among other variables, our panel of firm data includes data on venture capital funding and patent applications. With a statistical matching procedure we draw an adequate control...

The goal of this paper is to point out the role played by private equity investors (venture-capital companies and corporate investors) in the emergence of a new biotechnology industry in Germany in the second half of the 90?s. This analysis takes into account the different business models and...