German Business Is Tangled in Red Tape

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the burden of bureaucracy and red tape faced by companies in Germany, particularly in the metal heat-treatment industry, and how it is impacting their ability to focus on growing their businesses.

🙋 Q&A

[01] German Business Is Tangled in Red Tape

1. What are the key issues discussed in the article regarding the burden of bureaucracy on German companies?

• Companies in Germany, particularly in the metal heat-treatment industry, are complaining that the demands of bureaucracy are costing them time and money that could be better spent on growing their businesses.
• The position of "energy manager" created by the metal heat-treatment company Technotherm Heat Treatment Group has become more focused on filling out paperwork and studying changing laws rather than on increasing energy efficiency and attracting sustainability-conscious customers.
• In the past year, 4 new laws and 14 amendments to existing ones governing energy use have taken effect, each bringing fresh demands for data reporting and form submissions, even for standards the company has already been certified as reaching since 2012.
• The burden of bureaucracy is a general complaint of corporate executives across the globe, not just in Germany.

[02] Supported by

1. What is the background information provided about the author of the article?

• Melissa Eddy traveled to the German state of Baden-Württemberg to visit companies and speak with their leaders about how bureaucracy is bogging them down.