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The Mittelstand: a Specific Entrepreneurial Profile of the Social Market Economy

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  • Welter Friederike

    (Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) Bonn, University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany)

Abstract

Mittelstand companies are the backbone of the German economy: they constitute the vast majority of enterprises in Germany, contribute to employment, and are a pillar of the German apprenticeship system. The specific ownership–management structure of the Mittelstand used to go hand in hand with social, intergenerational, and regional responsibility. However, today’s very small and young entrepreneurs do not perceive themselves as Mittelstand; many entrepreneurs do not intend to employ others, and structural changes in the economy have also resulted in fundamental changes of the Mittelstand. This paper explores the characteristics of the Mittelstand and its future, asking whether Mittelstand will continue to play a fundamental role in the social market economy in Germany.

Suggested Citation

  • Welter Friederike, 2018. "The Mittelstand: a Specific Entrepreneurial Profile of the Social Market Economy," Journal for Markets and Ethics, Sciendo, vol. 6(1), pages 99-106, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:vrs:jmaeth:v:6:y:2018:i:1:p:99-106:n:10
    DOI: 10.2478/jome-2018-0029
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    7. Friederike Welter & Ted Baker & David B. Audretsch & William B. Gartner, 2017. "Everyday Entrepreneurship—A Call for Entrepreneurship Research to Embrace Entrepreneurial Diversity," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 41(3), pages 311-321, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pahnke, André & Holz, Michael & Welter, Friederike, 2019. "Unternehmerische Zielsysteme: Unterscheiden sich mittelständische Unternehmen tatsächlich von anderen?," IfM-Materialien 276, Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) Bonn.
    2. Schenkenhofer, Julian, 2020. "Hidden champions: A review of the literature & future research avenues," UO Working Papers 06-20, University of Augsburg, Chair of Management and Organization.
    3. André Pahnke & Friederike Welter & David B. Audretsch, 2023. "In the eye of the beholder? Differentiating between SMEs and Mittelstand," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 60(2), pages 729-743, February.
    4. Julian Schenkenhofer, 2022. "Hidden champions: a review of the literature & future research avenues," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 72(2), pages 417-482, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Mittelstand; SME; Context; Entrepreneurship; Germany;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • M20 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Economics - - - General

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