According to Mrs. Gundula Englisch, who is a journalist and film producer, in Germany company executives and senior civil servants have a higher standing than a clever self-made man. Entrepreneurship and self-employment currently have the worst reputation ever in Germany. This was a “consequence of a collective lack of independence, which was deeply rooted in the collective consciousness of the German people” says the journalist in an essay published by Change X. “Successful entrepreneurs are considered as exploiters, misers or parvenus, and if an entrepreneur goes bankrupt, he or she is deemed to be a failure”.
Even though only eleven percent of Germans are self-employed, this minority is accomplishing considerable achievements. “It is in particular the smallest of these companies which have created one quarter of all news jobs generated over the last decade, whereas major groups have cut jobs by 15 percent” says Mrs Englisch.
In Germany there are 50 professorships for entrepreneurial research. Virtually all relevant groups of society pay lip service to the importance of entrepreneurial spirit and entrepreneurship for the country´s econmic well-being. This year´s “Global Entrepreneurship Monitors” report, however, reveals a different reality: Germany is among those with the lowest ranking on entrepreneurial opportunities, appreciation of entrepreneurship by society and entrepreneurial training. Each year the report which is part of an international research project compares 30 countries on their economic climate for entrepreneurship and self-employment. 