For the project, marketing professor Jacobi interviewed experts from 17 larger companies in South Westphalia about the situation in business-to-business – B2B for short. Lack of skilled workers, digitalization, politics that are not very compatible with the economy, infrastructure problems, lack of the necessary raw materials and energy, formalities and bureaucracy, high taxes: the survey results transparently showed the currently most important causes for changes and investments in the B2B sector. For the companies surveyed, this results in, for example, higher costs and pressure to innovate with increased uncertainty and a lack of planning.
Wish list for politicians
For a future successful positioning in the B2B sector, there are three main points on the companies’ wish list for politicians: limited formalities and limited tax burden, improvement in energy prices and enough skilled workers. “Due to changing customer behavior, the majority of the companies surveyed are focusing on other target groups and other country markets,” explains Jacobi. 35 percent of the companies surveyed were thinking about relocating their locations to other locations because of the political situation in Germany. Another 35 percent want to relocate production locations abroad in order to produce where they want to sell.
Military equipment market as a market of the future?
A point that Merz took up in the subsequent discussion. Production locations abroad and production for the local sector will become more important in the future given the tendencies towards more state protectionism. “The days of unlimited market openings are over,” appealed Merz. “It is also important to reduce dependencies and strengthen local production – please consider this and think Europe-wide.” The military equipment market has also become more interesting for the B2B sector. His recommendation: “Take a look at these procurement markets.”
Other challenges faced by companies include, for example, energy and broadband supply, corporate taxation – there is a need to catch up in several areas, which is also what he sees from Berlin, says Merz.
Market researcher Jacobi sees changing requirements for employees in marketing and sales as one point that can also be solved in South Westphalia. The study shows how the requirement profile is shifting towards higher educational qualifications. Study programs and further training courses with a business connection are in demand here. “In this respect, it is important that we as a university can support this,” says Jacobi.
Topics and objectives of the research project
Topics included important changes in the economic situation in Germany, changes in customer behavior and the influence of trends on marketing and sales. Companies from the electrical and metal industries, mechanical and plant engineering, the automotive industry, trade and services, the wood processing industry and energy supply took part. On the one hand, the results should be used to design teaching at the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences in a needs-oriented manner. On the other hand, the results should be communicated, which is important for companies in the B2B sector in order to adapt to new challenges and trends.
