Europe and much of the developed world have been bogged down by stagnant economic growth and alarmingly high rates of unemployment. But not Germany. This book reveals seven key aspects of the German economy and society that have provided considerable buoyance in an era of global turbulence.

Chapter 1: Introduction ; Chapter 2: Small Is Beautiful ; Chapter 3: Poets and Thinkers ; Chapter 4: Roots and Wings ; Chapter 5: (Infra)Structure ; Chapter 6: Laptops and Lederhosen ; Chapter 7: Made in Germany ; Chapter 8: It's Good to Be German ; Chapter 9: Conclusions: The Right Zeitgeist for the Zeitalter

"Just when so many are asking 'How did Germany do it?' a new book appears with some answers. In an enormously well-informed, erudite, and accessible manner, the authors point to seven features that help Germany thrive in the face of globalization, demographic challenges, the Eurozone crisis, and much more. The seven 'secrets,' or features-which range from the small-is-beautiful Mittelstand to the growing comfort zone that Germans feel about being German citizens of the EU-allow Germany to foster the central drivers of economic prosperity: innovation, labor skills, and entrepreneurship. Social cohesion is critical in allowing the formal and informal institutions to work together-to make the whole more than the sum of the parts. The Seven Secrets of Germany is bound to provoke discussion and disagreement, but it really is a must-read for those who want to understand this nation's remarkable resilience and economic success." --Richard Baldwin, Professor of International Economics at the Graduate Institute, Geneva and Director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research "The Seven Secrets of Germany is the second book published recently on Germany that has intrigued me. The first one is Neil MacGregor's Germany: Memories of a Nation, which shows why Germany was special in the past. The Seven Secrets of Germany presents brilliant analysis on Germany's unique economy and economic policy, which has produced a second Wirtschaftswunder for the country today. It is a compulsory reading for anyone interested in economics." -- J.-Matthias Graf von der Schulenburg, Professor of Business Economics and Director of the Institute for Risk and Insurance Management, Leibniz University, Hanover, Germany "Audretsch and Lehmann have written a page turner of a book that explains how Germany has become the most successful globalized economy in the world. They combine a dazzling mastery of economic theory with real-life experiences and lessons for other Western countries that are struggling to compete in a global economy. This is by far the best explanation available on the secrets of Germany's revival from being the "sick man of Europe" to Weltmeister in just a decade. It is also an essential introduction to today's Germany that seamlessly weaves together history, culture, economics, and politics." -- Stephen F. Szabo, Executive Director, Transatlantic Academy, and Johns Hopkins SAIS

"Just when so many are asking 'How did Germany do it?' a new book appears with some answers. In an enormously well-informed, erudite, and accessible manner, the authors point to seven features that help Germany thrive in the face of globalization, demographic challenges, the Eurozone crisis, and much more. The seven 'secrets,' or features-which range from the small-is-beautiful Mittelstand to the growing comfort zone that Germans feel about being German citizens of the EU-allow Germany to foster the central drivers of economic prosperity: innovation, labor skills, and entrepreneurship. Social cohesion is critical in allowing the formal and informal institutions to work together-to make the whole more than the sum of the parts. The Seven Secrets of Germany is bound to provoke discussion and disagreement, but it really is a must-read for those who want to understand this nation's remarkable resilience and economic success." --Richard Baldwin, Professor of International Economics at the Graduate Institute, Geneva and Director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research "The Seven Secrets of Germany is the second book published recently on Germany that has intrigued me. The first one is Neil MacGregor's Germany: Memories of a Nation, which shows why Germany was special in the past. The Seven Secrets of Germany presents brilliant analysis on Germany's unique economy and economic policy, which has produced a second Wirtschaftswunder for the country today. It is a compulsory reading for anyone interested in economics." -- J.-Matthias Graf von der Schulenburg, Professor of Business Economics and Director of the Institute for Risk and Insurance Management, Leibniz University, Hanover, Germany "Audretsch and Lehmann have written a page turner of a book that explains how Germany has become the most successful globalized economy in the world. They combine a dazzling mastery of economic theory with real-life experiences and lessons for other Western countries that are struggling to compete in a global economy. This is by far the best explanation available on the secrets of Germany's revival from being the "sick man of Europe" to Weltmeister in just a decade. It is also an essential introduction to today's Germany that seamlessly weaves together history, culture, economics, and politics." -- Stephen F. Szabo, Executive Director, Transatlantic Academy, and Johns Hopkins SAIS

Selling point: Takes the less frequently argued stance that Germany, the largest and strongest economy in Europe, is doing everything right to maintain economic success amidst a sea of stagnation throughout most of the continent Selling point: Outlines exactly what Germany has done to generate such a positive economic performance so that other countries may follow suit Selling point: Examines Germany's success with a wide lens, arguing that policy, business, and society work together to contribute to the nation's prosperity

David Audretsch is a Distinguished Professor and Ameritech Chair of Economic Development at Indiana University, where he is also serves as Director of the Institute for Development Strategies. He also is an Honorary Professor of Industrial Economics and Entrepreneurship at the WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management in Germany and a Research Fellow of the Centre for Economic Policy Research in London. Audretsch's research is focused on the links between entrepreneurship, government policy, innovation, economic development and global competitiveness. He is co-founder and co-editor of Small Business Economics: An Entrepreneurship Journal. He is a member of the Advisory Board to a number of international research and policy institutes, including Chair of the the Deutsches Institut fuer Wirtschaftsforschung Berlin (German Institute for Economic Analysis Berlin), Chair of the Stifterverband fuer die Deutsche Wissenschaft (Foundation for the Promotion of German Science), New York Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Entrepreneurship Forum, and the Jackstädt Centre for Entrepreneurship in Wuppertal, Germany. Erik E. Lehmann is a Full Professor of Management and Organization at Augsburg University, Germany and Director of the Program Global Business Managemen and Dean of Student Affairs. He received his doctoral degree 1999 from Rostock University and his habilitation (venia legendi) from Konstanz University in 2005. From 2004-2005 he joined the Max Planck Institute (Jena) as an assistant director. Together with Silvio Vismara (University of Bergamo/Italy) he directs the CISAlpino Institute for Comparative Studies in Europe (CCSE). Lehmann's research is focused on the links between corporate governance in family and entrepreneurial firms, innovation, public policy, education and innovation systems, financial constraints and regional and global competition.

Selling point: Takes the less frequently argued stance that Germany, the largest and strongest economy in Europe, is doing everything right to maintain economic success amidst a sea of stagnation throughout most of the continent Selling point: Outlines exactly what Germany has done to generate such a positive economic performance so that other countries may follow suit Selling point: Examines Germany's success with a wide lens, arguing that policy, business, and society work together to contribute to the nation's prosperity