IS427 cities wiki: 2013T1 Munich/Enter
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Contents
General
Germany (Listeni/ˈdʒɜrməni/; German: Deutschland), officially the Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland, pronounced [ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant] ( listen)),[11] is a federal parliamentary republic in western-central Europe. The country consists of 16 states and its capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 square kilometres (137,847 sq mi) and has a largely temperate seasonal climate. With 80.3 million inhabitants, it is the most populous member state in the European Union. Germany is the major economic and political power of the European continent and a historic leader in many theoretical and technical fields. (source)
Munich
Munich is the capital and largest city of the German state of Bavaria, it is also the third largest city in Germany behind Berlin and Hamburg.
It was Benedictine monks, drawn by fertile farmland and the closeness to Catholic Italy, who settled in what is now Munich. The city derives its name from the medieval Munichen, or monks. In 1158, the Imperial Diet in Augsburg sanctioned the rule of Heinrich der Löwe, and Munich the city was born. In 1240, the city passed to the House of Wittelsbach, who would govern Munich (as well as Bavaria) until the 20th century. Munich prospered as a salt-trading centre but was hit hard by the plague in 1349. The epidemic subsided only after 150 years, whereupon the relieved Schäffler (coopers) initiated a ritualistic dance to remind burghers of their good fortune. The Schäfflertanz is performed every seven years but it is re-enacted daily by the little figures on the city’s Glockenspiel (carillon) on Marienplatz.
By the 19th century an explosion of monument-building gave Munich its spectacular architecture and wide Italianate avenues. Things got out of hand after King Ludwig II ascended the throne in 1864, as spending for his grandiose projects (such as Neuschwanstein Palace) bankrupted the royal house and threatened the government’s coffers. Ironically, today they are the biggest money-spinners of Bavaria’s tourism industry. Munich has seen many turbulent times but last century was particularly rough. WWI practically starved the city to death, the Nazis first rose to prominence here and next world war nearly wiped the city off the map. The 1972 Olympic Games began as a celebration of a new democratic Germany, but ended in tragedy when 17 people were killed in a terrorist hostage-taking incident. In 2006 the city won a brighter place in sporting history, when it hosted the opening game of the FIFA World Cup.
Today, Munich’s claim to being the ‘secret capital’ of Germany is alive and well. The city is recognised for its high living standards, with the most millionaires per capita after Hamburg, and for a haute couture that rivals Paris and Milan. (source) The city's motto is "München mag dich" (Munich loves you). Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" (Cosmopolitan city with a heart).
Modern Munich is a financial and publishing hub, and frequently emerges as a top-ranked destination for migration and expatriates. Location and livability wise, it performs well in rankings too. (source)
Some interesting facts about Munich: 1) Ranked #13 on a list of "Most reputable cities 2013" according to Forbes (source) 2) Ranked #6 on the Innovation Cities Global Index 2012-2013 (source) 3) One of europe's most creative cities: http://www.baviere-quebec.org/archives/pm/2012/00365/index.php.en
Culture
People
- Germans generally prize formality, punctuality, are strongly individualistic and opinionated
- They believe in equality and opportunity
- Known to be good planners
- They do not like surprises and do not want to expose and or share much about their private lives
- Titles and credentials are very important to them
- They are very proud of their nationality and heritage and they love their rules very much
- Interesting notables: a hand-written note to thank your host is highly regarded, bring a gift of flowers/chocolates if invited to a house and they also love their cars and dogs
Bavarians
- They take pride in their local customs & traditions (folk songs, dances and music practiced/performed by many Bavarian towns and townships)
- Things that still exist in present-day Bavaria: Kinderzeche – a pageant designed especially for children, Tanzelfest (a dance festival) and various medieval knight tournaments
- They exhibit a Bavarian zest for Life
- Are highly opinionated
Attitudes
- To Foreigners:
- Some anti-foreigner sentiment (more so to specific races/religions)
- East & North of Germany exhibit higher intolerance towards foreigners
- Nationalistic, though extremities are varied
- Local:
- Public drunkenness is not acceptable
- The hand shake & greeting are important parts of local culture (greet everyone in the room, no exceptions!)
- Praise is the absence of criticism (rapping of knuckles on tables is a common occurrence to show satisfaction, for example after a presentation - since applause in German culture is more for performances/entertainment
- Doesn’t matter even if you are a stranger – they won’t hesitate to give you their opinion, take it well and with good grace
Business
- Dressing: Understated, Formal, Conservative (Men should wear dark colored, conservative business suits, women should wear either business suits or conservative dresses - do not wear ostentatious jewelry or accessories)
- Formal, Bureaucratic, Hierarchal
- Punctual, Suspicious, Blunt
- Personal relationship not needed, No open-door policy
- Deference to authority & credentials
- Written communication is important for certain scenarios
- Humor is not appreciated in the business context
Political History & Historical Facts
- Began with the arrival of a community of Benedictine monks, back in 1158, founded by Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony and Bavaria.
Officially became a city in 1175.
- Name reflects its origins: derived from the medieval German word 'Munichen', which can be translated as 'monks'.
- 1810: the first Oktoberfest was held to celebrate the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen.
- 19th Century: the city expanded beyond its boundaries and flourished under the rule of King Ludwig II
- 20th Century: the city faced turbulent and difficult times.
- Political unrest in WWI: Munich Raterepublic, a Bavarian Soviet Republic put down in May 1919.
- National Socialism was founded and rose to pre-eminence in the inter-war years.
- In November 1923, Hitler attempted to overthrow the Weimar Republic.
- In 1933, when the National Socialists took power, Munich became the 'Capital of the Movement'.
- WWII: Munich suffered heavily from Allied bombing raids, which destroyed more than 40 percent of its buildings.
- Post-War: New Germany emerged.
- Massive rebuilding programme began and a more modern city slowly emerged from the rubble. The locals preserved the remanents of the buildings as much as they could and used the leftover infrastructure and rubble to rebuild.
- 1972: Munich hosted the Olympic Games and a stadium was built, together with an underground rail system to celebrate a new Germany. Sadly, however, the Olympic Games ended in tragedy when a terrorist incident led to the death of a number of Israeli athletes.
Source: http://www.world-guides.com/europe/germany/bavaria/munich/munich_history.html, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/397501/Munich
What History & Present Day examples have taught us: Key Takeaways
- People’s attitude towards entrepreneurship: Positive (they have strong pride and belief in local potential, have ambition, and want to come out with impactful changes)
- Resilience and endurance is a trait that has lasted through the times and is now still very apparent in present day Germany
- Past experiences and attitudes Increased their drive to innovate and be self-reliant
- The want to create things of value is strong
Entrepreneurship Scene Ecosystem
Notables about Munich
- Germany's most innovation-friendly city (check)
- Lowest unemployment rate
- Home to reknowned giants (Eg. Siemens, BMW)
- One of the 2 hubs of Entrepreneurship in Germany (the other being Berlin) Although they are slightly behind in terms of technology-based startup activity, interesting advancements and companies have come out of Munich
Network of Support
- Plenty of support for incubators (Eg. Y-Combinator)
- Competitions, such as the Munich Business Plan Competition
- Institutional support and tie-ups (E.g. with Muich Business School)
- Expansive network of business angels, venture capitalists and numerous other funding sources
- Presence of incubators: Wayra
- Venture capitalists: Earlybird
Support from Local Universities
Support provided in the area of linking people with the technology (researchers, student groups) with the ones with the business acumen (entrepreneurs). There are also several programmes to encourage and incentivize young people to become entrepreneurs by providing opportunities - networking, acceptance into incubator progammes for example.
- 4 universities known fro entrepreneurship:
- Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
- Technical University of Munich
- University of Applied Sciences
- University of the German Federal Armed Forces
Support For Women
Meetups for female entrepreneurs and women in leadership positions in science and technology. (The Guide Project, Women Entrepreneurs)
Government Support
There is some sentiment that governmental support could be enhanced to address some real and pressing problems faced by entrepreneurs (Eg. restrictions and limitations caused by labour rules)
Interesting Sights in Munich
BMW Welt: Munich, Germany› Notable building
"BMW Welt (English – BMW World), is a multi-functional customer experience and exhibition facility of the BMW AG, located in Munich, Germany. In direct proximity to the BMW Headquarters and the Olympiapark, it is designed to present the current products of BMW, be a distribution center for BMW cars, and offer an event forum and a conference center." Credits to: http://www.360cities.net/image/bmw-welt-munich-muenchen-germany#150.20,0.80,80.0
Allianz Arena : Munich, Germany› Soccer stadium
Sporting and architecture fans alike should take a side trip to the northern suburb of Fröttmaning to see the ultraslick €340 million Allianz Arena, Munich's dramatic football stadium. The 75-minute stadium tours are hugely popular (no tours on match days); tickets are sold in the 3rd-floor gift shop.Nicknamed the life belt and rubber boat, it has walls made of inflatable cushions that can be individually lit to match the colours of the host team (red for 1 FC Bayern, blue for TSV 1860, and white for the national side). Credits to: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/germany/munich/sights#ixzz2ieJar74d
Investment Scene
Positive government policy that encourages shared ownership
Government policy encourages a wide spread of shares ownership among the general public, and they have a number of incentive programs that support the objective. However these programs are all rather small in scale and have little effect.
Banks posses great power
Virtually all shares of publicly held corporatiosn are bearer shares and are usually deposited with banks.Therefore the banks offer care-taking services to the shareholders,which include collecting dividends on their behalf and also acting as proxies at shareholder’s meetings. The bank generally recommends how shareholders' votes should be cast and are often seen to have greater voting power than what is actually justifiable by their own portfolios.
Encouraging of regulation for foreign participation in industries
There are no significant controls preventing or restricting foreign investment. As such, the typical form of foreign participation in a German industry is that of a wholly or substantially majority owned subsidiary. Joint ventures or minority investments are comparatively rare and are usually the result of special circumstances.
Housing of new technologies and traditional industries Munich is distinguished by its mix of sunrise industries and traditional business sectors. It has the most important location for electronic media. In particular, television stations and international IT companies like Microsoft, Apple, Oracle and Lotus have their administrative headquarters in Bavaria. Munich is the country’s second main industrial city, housing world-leading companies such as Siemens, BMW and MAN .
