49-52/2015 Change welcome! 
There are words of wisdom that can sometimes be rather irritating. One of these is the sentence «nothing is more constant than change». It is so tiring precisely because it always stays true. The question remains whether we should allow ourselves to be inundated by change, or... more
47-48/2015 Turbulent times
I don’t think anyone will deny that we live in turbulent times. In this context the key question once again rears its head, as it has done so frequently before in similar situations – do politics influence business; and if so, to what extent? It is not only the very serious... more
45-46/2015 A lesson or a fairy tale?
Not even Akbar Al Baker, who is rarely embarrassed about making huge statements, would have expected such a steep take-off: while we witnessed two-and-a-half years ago within the framework of the World Cargo Symposium held by Iata at the very same location how the head of Qatar... more
43-44/2015 New bondings
«The timing is never ideal», Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen said recently, referring to his line’s planned initial public offering at the end of October. The question of whether an ideal moment as such exists in general is probably open to discussion. What is a fact,... more
41-42/2015 Paradoxical, but true
There is no sphere of life without contradictions, and the business world has to live with them too. Observations from modern everyday life – larger houses for smaller families, wider roads but more one-way streets, more comfort but less time – apply to companies too. Greater... more
39-40/2015 Too much drama?
For already the second time this year, the Greeks went to the polls on 20 September to elect a new parliament – that is, 55% of the electorate did, the smallest number since democratic rules were introduced again in the country in 1974. And a majority of those voting endorsed... more
37-38/2015 Moving times
Europe is moved. Thousands upon thousands of people are fleeing to the continent, often after harrowing and perilous odysseys. Ever more of them are headed for Germany. The government of the country turned a blind eye to the gravity of the situation for a long time. Other... more
35-36/2015 Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
A readiness to take risks is one of the cardinal entrepreneurial virtues. Even if a company’s boss banks on a well-balanced mix of tried-and-tested products as well as promising innovations – even then there is always a degree of residual risk remaining. Proven recipes may be... more
31-34/2015 Wormholes fill the summer doldrums
Some of you may already have returned to work from your summer holidays. Wherever you went, you will probably have heard that Nasa is now sure that, out there somewhere – way out there – there is another planet that is similar to planet Earth. 430 parsecs away from our blue... more
27-30/2015 Everybody’s business
Austria and Switzerland, which are the focus of this issue’s Special, are frequently considered calming influences on troubled European events – above all in relation to the current Southeast European turmoil. This assessment could not be further from the truth, however. The... more