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Revision with unchanged content. Insolvency is a common phenomenon in the German Mittelstand . Since small and medium sized companies account for nearly 95% of all businesses in Germany, the impact on the economy is massive. Besides the macro eco no mic effects, insolvency entails serious consequences on the individual level. How can impending crisis and thus insolvency be prevented? The author picks up this important question and identifies effective comunication between management and the workforce as a stra te gic instrument to prevent crisis and insolvency. By means of effective commu ni cation, managers should immunize the company to enforce a long-term cri sis prevention. After a brief introduction, Bernhard Ollefs describes the phe no menon of crisis in the German Mittelstand and how communication can con tribute to prevent insolvency. He analyizes exigencies for implementing effec tive communication as a strategic instrument and describes factors that could jeopardize this process. He then provides solution proposals that can be implemented in order to profoundly improve communication between management and workforce. In the last part of his book, the author in ves ti ga tes the communicative environment of three insolvent companies and com pares it with the communicative environment of three successfully ope ra ting companies.

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studied European Business Administration at CBS and completed his studies with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) His major fields of study were Marketing and Finance. After two years of practical experience in Consulting and other areas, he currently does his Masters Degree at ISM Dortmund and EGADE, Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico).

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