Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) Bonn

The Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) Bonn was established in 1957 as a foundation of private law at the initiative of then Minister of Economic Affairs (and later German Chancellor) Ludwig Erhard. It was founded by the Federal Republic of Germany and the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia. The institute provides comprehensive statistical information on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs or Mittelstand) in Germany, based on official and semi-official data as well as on its own survey-based data. It analyses the status quo, developments and problems of Mittelstand (SME) enterprises to produce recommendations for SME policies and to disseminate its research among the public. IfM Bonn adopts an applied research approach.