Dusseldorf There are numbers that give cause for concern with regard to Germany as a business location: The five most research-intensive US companies invested a total of 189 billion euros in research and development last year – three times more than the 29 leading German companies.
This investment gap is getting bigger, as calculations by the auditing company EY (Ernst & Young) show. In the current episode of Handelsblatt Today Extended, stock analyst Ulf Sommer describes how this deficit threatens Germany’s innovative strength and competitiveness.
“Germany has no raw materials, has high wages and taxes – all the more important are innovation and research in order to have better products,” says Sommer. In addition to business, the financial market analyst also sees politics as having a responsibility: “If the private sector isn’t delivering, it’s all the more important that the state plays its important role in basic research.”
A major reason for the low R&D investments, he suspects, could be the lack of courage on the part of German companies. After all, this money is not a guarantee of profits. In the podcast, however, Sommer also names companies and sectors in Germany and Europe that are setting an example.
More: Research and development: US corporations are expanding their lead
We have an exclusive subscription offer for you as a Handelsblatt Today listener: Test Handelsblatt Premium for four weeks for €1 and always stay informed about what’s moving the financial markets. More information is available here.
If you have any comments, questions, criticism or praise for this episode, please email us at: [email protected]
We can now be reached on WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram via the following number: 01523 – 80 99 427