Origin and History of the German Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (Private Limited Company)

The Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung – GmbH – is a widespread company form, known all over the world, which was adopted in 1892 by the German legislator. Its historical origins were essentially favored by important economic growth during the second half of the 19thcentury. Smaller and medium-sized enterprises should be able to choose the legal form of the Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung in order to participate in a more convenient and easily accessible way in the country’s economic growth. This purpose could not be achieved by the highly regulated Aktiengesellschaft (public limited company) which was dedicated to large companies and was therefore too expensive and too complicated for smaller entities. Partnerships like, for instance, the Offene Handelsgesellschaft (general partnership) had the disadvantage that all partners were liable without restrictions to its creditors. The Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung was thought to cover the gap between corporations and partnerships. Despite some weaknesses, the Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung subsequently became a real model of success. Over the years, the Act on the GmbH was subject to constant reforms through practice and legislation, because it was necessary to take into account economic requirements and to counter maladministration in application of the GmbH Law. More recently, European legal standards had a further significant influence on the Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung. Since its creation, the GmbH has played a key role in German legal and economic life. It does exist in many diverse forms and has been for a long time the most popular form of company in [email protected]é Paris Ouest Nanterre La Defens

What Determines the Innovative Success of Subsidized Collaborative R&D Projects? – Project-Level Evidence from Germany –

Systemic innovation theory emphasizes that innovations are the result of an interdependent exchange process between different organizations. This is reflected in the current paradigm in European innovation policy, which aims at the support of collaborative R&D and innovation projects bringing together science and industry. Building on a large data set using project-level evidence on 406 subsidized R&D cooperation projects, the present paper provides detailed insights on the relationship between the innovative success of R&D cooperation projects and project characteristics. Patent applications and publications are used as measures for direct outcomes of R&D projects. We also differentiate between academic-industry projects and pure inter-firm projects. Main results of negative binomial regressions are that large-firm involvement is positively related to pa-tent applications, but not to publications. Conversely, university involvement has positive effects on project outcomes in terms of publications but not in terms of patent applications. In general, projects’ funding is an important predictor of innovative success of R&D cooperation projects. No significant results are found for spatial proximity among cooperation partners and for the engagement of an applied research institute. Results are discussed with respect to the design of R&D cooperation support schemes.R&D Cooperation, Innovation, Academic-Industry-Linkages, Innovation Policy

Forschung und Entwicklung wichtige Quelle für Produktinnovationen auch in Ostdeutschland

Die Entwicklung und erfolgreiche Markteinführung neuer Produkte ist ein wesentliches Merkmal der modernen Wissensgesellschaft. Nach Abschluß der nachholenden technologischen Erneuerung in Ostdeutschland müssen sich die Betriebe in den Neuen Ländern im Wettbewerb um marktreife Produktneuheiten behaupten. Dabei wirken die transformationsbedingten strukturellen Besonderheiten fort, und die Einbettung Ostdeutschlands zwischen High-Tech im Westen und Aufholländern im Osten stellt eine zusätzliche Herausforderung dar. Der Beitrag skizziert die Innovationstätigkeit der Betriebe in Ostdeutschland und geht im Rahmen einer multivariaten Analyse den unternehmensinternen Bestimmungsfaktoren von Produktinnovationen nach. Die empirischen Untersuchungen unter Verwendung des IAB-Betriebspanels zeigen, daß sich die Betriebe des Verarbeitenden Gewerbes in Ostdeutschland im Zeitraum 2002 bis 2003 durch eine rege Innovationsbeteiligung auszeichnen. Der Anteil der Betriebe mit Produktinnovationen liegt in den Neuen Ländern sogar leicht über dem Vergleichswert für Westdeutschland. Dabei führen Betriebe mit eigener Forschung und Entwicklung (FuE) doppelt so häufig neue Produkte ein wie Betriebe ohne FuE. Die regressionsanalytische Untersuchung bestätigt, daß seitens der betrieblichen Inputgrößen eigene FuE eine starke Triebfeder für Produktinnovationen darstellt. Auch den betrieblichen Weiterbildungsaktivitäten kann ein positiver Einfluß auf die Innovationstätigkeit bescheinigt werden, was die Bedeutung des Lebenslangen Lernens unterstreicht. Hinsichtlich der betriebsspezifischen Charakteristika fällt auf, daß eine mehrheitlich ausländische Kapitalbeteiligung einen signifikant negativen Einfluß auf Produktinnovationen ausübt. Dieser noch weiter zu analysierende Befund deutet auf das Phänomen der sogenannten verlängerten Werkbänke hin

Forschung und Entwicklung wichtige Quelle für Produktinnovationen auch in Ostdeutschland

The development and successful introduction of new products is a fundamental feature of a modern knowledge society. After completion of the retrieving technological renewals in East Germany, businesses in the newly-formed German states have to stand up to the competition for marketable concepts and ideas. In doing so, the structural particularities on the strength of transformation are still in force and besides, the embedding of East Germany between high-tech in the West and catching up countries in the East constitutes an additional challenge. This article outlines the innovation activities of East German companies and pursues in the framework of an multivariate analysis to follow up intra-corporate determining factors for product innovations The empirical analysis, employing the IAB establishment panel, shows an active share of innovation participation of companies belonging to the manufacturing industry in East Germany during the years 2002 and 2003. The proportion of companies with product innovation in the newly-formed German states even lies slightly above the reference value for West Germany. Especially companies with an own Research and Development (R&D) department are introducing new products twice as much as companies without an R&D division. The regression analysis proves that own R&D represents the strongest driving force for product innovations in regard to input factors. Moreover, continuing operational education can also be attested a positive impact on innovation activities and emphasizes concurrently the meaning of long-life learning. In reference to business specific characteristics, it stands out that foreign equity participation imposes a significant negative impact of on product innovations. This result, deserving further analysis, indicates the phenomenon of so-called subcontracting.

What Determines the Innovative Success of Subsidized Collaborative R&D Projects? – Project-Level Evidence from Germany –

Systemic innovation theory emphasizes that innovations are the result of an interdependent exchange process between different organizations. This is reflected in the current paradigm in European innovation policy, which aims at the support of collaborative R&D and innovation projects bringing together science and industry. Building on a large data set using project-level evidence on 406 subsidized R&D cooperation projects, the present paper provides detailed insights on the relationship between the innovative success of R&D cooperation projects and project characteristics. Patent applications and publications are used as measures for direct outcomes of R&D projects. We also differentiate between academic-industry projects and pure inter-firm projects. Main results of negative binomial regressions are that large-firm involvement is positively related to patent applications, but not to publications. Conversely, university involvement has positive effects on project outcomes in terms of publications but not in terms of patent applications. In general, projects' funding is an important predictor of innovative success of R&D cooperation projects. No significant results are found for spatial proximity among cooperation partners and for the engagement of an applied research institute. Results are discussed with respect to the design of R&D cooperation support schemes.Die gegenwärtige europäische Innovationspolitik unterstreicht das systemische Verständnis von Innovationsprozessen, demzufolge Innovationen das Ergebnis interdependenter Austauschprozesse verschiedener Akteure sind. Dies spiegelt sich in einer verstärkten öffentlichen Förderung kooperativer FuE- und Innovationsvorhaben zwischen Wissenschafts- und Wirtschaftsakteuren wider. Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht diesbezüglich den Einfluss wesentlicher Charakteristika solcher FuE-Verbundvorhaben auf deren innovativen Erfolg anhand eines Datensatzes von 406 geförderten FuEProjekten. Zur Messung des Innovationsoutputs dieser Projekte werden Patentanmeldungen und Publikationen herangezogen. Ferner wird nach Verbundprojekten zwischen Wissenschaft und Industrie und Projekten mit ausschließlich industriellen Partnern differenziert. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Einbindung von Großunternehmen einen positiven Einfluss auf Patentanmeldungen hat, nicht aber auf die Zahl der Publikationen. Die Einbindung einer Universität in ein Verbundprojekt hat positive Effekte auf die Zahl der Publikationen, nicht aber auf die Anzahl der Patentanmeldungen. Ferner lassen sich signifikant positive Effekte für die Höhe der Förderung nachweisen. Räumliche Nähe der Kooperationspartner wie auch die Einbindung eines anwendungsorientierten Forschungsinstitutes haben keinen Einfluss auf den Innovationserfolg der FuE-Kooperationsprojekte. Der Beitrag schließt mit einer Diskussion der Ergebnisse hinsichtlich der Ausgestaltung von Förderprogrammen zugunsten von FuE-Kooperationen

Comparison of fibre optical measurements and discrete element simulations for the study of granulation in a spout fluidized bed

Spout fluidized beds are frequently used for the production of granules or particles through granulation. The products find application in a large variety of applications, for example detergents, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals and food. Spout fluidized beds have a number of advantageous properties, such as a high mobility of the particles, which prevents undesired agglomeration and yields excellent heat transfer properties. The particle growth mechanism in a spout fluidized bed as function of particle-droplet interaction has a profound influence on the particle morphology and thus on the product quality. Nevertheless, little is known about the details of the granulation process. This is mainly due to the fact that the granulation process is not visually accessible. In this work we use fundamental, deterministic models to enable the detailed investigation of granulation behaviour in a spout fluidized bed. A discrete element model is used describing the dynamics of the continuous gas-phase and the discrete droplets and particles. For each element momentum balances are solved. The momentum transfer among each of the three phases is described in detail at the level of individual elements. The results from the discrete element model simulations are compared with local measurements of particle volume fractions as well as particle velocities by using a novel fibre optical probe in a fluidized bed of 400 mm I.D. Simulations and experiments were carried out for three different cases using Geldart B type aluminium oxide particles: a freely bubbling fluidized bed; a spout fluidized bed without the presence of droplets and a spout fluidized bed with the presence of droplets. It is demonstrated how the discrete element model can be used to obtain information about the interaction of the discrete phases, i.e. the growth zone in a spout fluidized bed. Eventually this kind of information can be used to obtain closure information required in more coarse grained models

Detailed investigation of granulation processes using a fibre-optical probe and discrete element simulations

Spout fluidized beds are frequently used for the production of granules or particles through granulation, which are widely applied for example in the production of detergents, pharmaceuticals, food and fertilizers. Spout fluidized beds have a number of advantageous properties, such as high mobility of the particles preventing undesired agglomeration and enabling excellent heat transfer control. The particle growth mechanism in a spout fluidized bed as function of the particle-droplet interaction has a profound influence on the particle morphology and thus on the product quality. Nevertheless, little is known about the details of the granulation process. This is mainly due to the fact that it is not visually accessible. In this work we use fundamental, deterministic models to enable the detailed investigation of granulation behavior in a spout fluidized bed

What determines the innovative success of subsidized collaborative R&D projects? - Project-level evidence from Germany

Systemic innovation theory emphasizes that innovations are the result of an interdependent exchange process between different organizations. This is reflected in the current paradigm in European innovation policy, which aims at the support of collaborative R&D and innovation projects bringing together science and industry. Building on a large data set using project-level evidence on 406 subsidized R&D cooperation projects, the present paper provides detailed insights on the relationship between the innovative success of R&D cooperation projects and project characteristics. Patent applications and publications are used as measures for direct outcomes of R&D projects, while we also differentiate between academic-industry projects and pure inter-firm projects. Main results of negative binomial regressions are that R&D projects' innovative output is positively related to university involvement, to projects' funding and international commercialization range of R&D. Duration of R&D projects positively affects project outcomes in terms of publications but not in terms of patent applications. No significant effects are found for spatial proximity among cooperation partners, for the engagement of an applied research institute and for large-firm involvement. Results are discussed with respect to the design of R&D cooperation support schemes

Discrete element modeling and fibre optical measurements for fluidized bed spray granulation

Spout fluidized beds are frequently used for the production of granules or\ud particles through granulation. The products find application in a large variety of\ud applications, for example detergents, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals and food. Spout fluidized\ud beds have a number of advantageous properties, such as a high mobility of the particles,\ud which prevents undesired agglomeration and yields excellent heat transfer properties. The\ud particle growth mechanism in a spout fluidized bed as function of particle-droplet\ud interaction has a profound influence on the particle morphology and thus on the product\ud quality. Nevertheless, little is known about the details of the granulation process. This is\ud mainly due to the fact that the granulation process is not visually accessible. In this work\ud we use fundamental, deterministic models to enable the detailed investigation of\ud granulation behaviour in a spout fluidized bed. A discrete element model is used\ud describing the dynamics of the continuous gas-phase and the discrete droplets and\ud particles. For each element momentum balances are solved. The momentum transfer\ud among each of the three phases is described in detail at the level of individual elements.\ud The results from the discrete element model simulations are compared with local\ud measurements of particle volume fractions as well as particle velocities by using a novel\ud fibre optical probe in a fluidized bed of 400 mm I.D. Simulations and experiments were\ud carried out for two different cases using Geldart B type aluminium oxide particles: a\ud freely bubbling fluidized bed and a spout fluidized bed with the presence of droplets. It is\ud demonstrated how the discrete element model can be used to obtain information about the\ud interaction of the discrete phases, i.e. the growth zone in a spout fluidized bed. Eventually\ud this kind of information can be used to obtain closure information required in more coarse\ud grained model

Photo-induced charge generation in mono- and bimetallic nanoparticles deposited on titanium dioxide

Metal nanoparticles/TiO2 systems can generate photo-charge carriers to drive chemical reactions or induce photocurrents in photovoltaic systems. Gold and silver nanoparticles can exhibit localized surface plasmon resonance and enhance the charge carrier density by several energy transfer mechanisms. This thesis combined magnetron sputtering thin film deposition and thermal annealing to synthesize mono-metallic gold and bimetallic gold-core silver-shell nanoparticles to correlate the activity of the particles with their properties