Estonia is the only candidate for adopting the euro currency in 2011. The euro offers the Baltic country its only chance of overcoming the devaluation of the krone and stimulating growth.The government’s rigorous measures have reduced the budget deficit to fulfill the Maastricht criteria for joining the EU’s common currency. But there are also critics of the euro in Estonia. Report by Karl Harenbrock.

• 2/10/10
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Banking Analyst, Bavarian Financial Center DW-TV: "Otto Steinmetz isn't alone with his call for tighter regulations and more responsibility in the banking sector. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, French President Nicolas Sarkozy also called for tighter regulations. We're joined now by Wolfgang Gerke, President of the Bavarian Finance Center. Now, Obama wants it, Sarkozy wants it, a lot of other world leader are calling for tighter regulation. A lot of talk - why don't they just do it?" Wolfgang Gerke: "There is too much lobbying coming from the investment bankers, being very strong on Wall Street and in American policy. And therefore for President Obama, it's very difficult to fulfil all the ideas - to really create facts, and that's a problem. In the future, we need a global supervisory system; we need more equity for all these risky banks, but we will not get it if there are too many investors looking for high returns." DW-TV: "So it's not realistic to think that we could get everybody behind this concept of tighter regulations on a global scale? Then there's no point talking about it either, is there?" Wolfgang Gerke: "I want to stay an optimist. I think the last financial crisis was such a dreadful crisis that something has to happen, but sometimes it takes too much time, and the next crisis will come, and there will be banks in difficulties. And then, we have to look that further on, it's not the taxpayer helping them, the banks must help themselves." DW-TV: "They can't always be bailed out the way they have been now in the last year. How much freedom, would you say, does a bank actually need in order to function and keep the economy going - which is the point of a bank?" Wolfgang Gerke: "I would give a bank all the freedom - that isn't the problem. The bank taking the freedom must have enough equity, and a bank paying high dividends and high bonus payments should take part of these payments to create equity and to be able in a difficult situation to help itself." DW-TV: "And just briefly, how much influence should a state have on the banking sector?" Wolfgang Gerke: "As little as possible, but the state should be the best supervisor. " DW-TV: "Wolfgang Gerke, thank you very much for joining us." (Interview: M. Jones)

• 2/3/10
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Whether it's Haiti or Darfur, as a result of natural distasters or political unrest, aid agencies must provide assistance as quickly as possible. In order to do that they need the support of manufacturers and logistics firms.The Kärcher Futuretech company , for example, provides clean water and mobile kitchens. Logistics firm Kühne und Nagel has specialized in transport and organization. The companies must work quickly and efficiently, as human lives hang in the balance. Report by Grit Hofmann.

• 2/3/10
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For Schmidt Spiele, fun and games is serious business. Their classic board game "Mensch ärgere dich nicht", known in other parts of the world as "Ludo" or "Parcheesi", is 100 years old and has sold 70 million copies.Today game designers must have clever ideas and be multimedia savvy. Schmidt relies on partner companies for ideas for new games, but takes care of the production and marketing itself. So far it's proved a winning strategy -- producing success stories like Carcassone. Report by Kerstin Schweizer.

• 2/3/10
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German company Baufritz specializes in building "carbon positive" homes. Its ecological home-building system produces houses which are highly energy efficient.Dagmar Fritz-Kramer, who heads the firm, says it's all about individual design, sustainability and protecting the environment. And the demand for Baufritz homes shows there's a large market for eco houses. Report by Bettina Thoma.

• 2/3/10
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He is a business ethics expert at the Humboldt University Berlin and Director of the "Program on Religion, Politics and Economics" at Berlin's Humboldt University and also Ethics professor at the Leuphana University Lüneburg.DW-TV: Alright. Let's pull in Professor Nils Ole Oermann. He is a business ethics professor, written a lot about the ethics of making money including this book which is in German right now and I think its English title will be something like "Earning money decently. Decent money." Are the financial markets right now, Mr. Oermann, are they earning money decently? Nils Ole Oermann: It sounds a bit like a rhetorical question. I think they don't but the interesting question is why don't they and how do you change that and who changes that? The markets themselves, can they do it? The invisible hands? Or are politicians responsible for changing that? DW-TV:You're asking a lot of questions. A lot of those questions we're going to here in Davos. We just saw a report on Davos. Look at the numbers we've just heard. 340 thousand Euros spent to revamp a hotel. 1600 Euros for a ham there on the menu in Davos. When you hear those numbers you get the impression that these business leaders haven't really understood that we are coming out of one of the biggest recessions in history. Nils Ole Oermann: First of all, I would ask, who pays the ham and the revamping of the hotel rooms. If the answer is the taxpayer, then I would have very big question marks if that is a good thing. I think Davos is not a moral high ground or an institution. It's a village and a village is good, bad, happy, sad. It's a place where people meet and you can do that to change things to the better or you can continue in your old ways in the hope they do the first thing. DW-TV:You hope they do. Do you think they are aware of how much disdain there is for them right now in the public? Nils Ole Oermann: I think they are but when they give themselves the motto of the conference: "Rethink, rebuild, redesign" in every of the three words the 're'. If you have a re-design, you also have an original design in your head and if they themselves don't realize that, I hope the politicians and scientists and whoever is invited reminds them of that and that's a good thing. DW-TV: Maybe we can get some insight into what they are thinking. I want to show our viewers here a graphic, a quote actually, of what was said last week by Alexander Dibelius. He is the head of Goldman Sachs here in Germany. He was quoted as saying: "Banks, especially private and listed financial institutes don't have any obligation to promote common good, common welfare." Rather shocking that someone would say that, but is he simply saying what the financial world thinks anyway? Nils Ole Oermann: First of all, he gave that as a lecture in front of business students and that is very different from giving that in a place like Davos where you will have very critical questions. And the other thing which makes me hopeful about the reactions after this quote. It was widely discussed in the public and very critically discussed and if you then take a forum like Davos to discuss the same question, what does economics and business have to do with the public or common good, then that's a good thing, and not a bad one. DW-TV: But you specialize in ethics. Aren't you really upset when someone like the head of Goldman Sachs Germany makes a statement like that to business students? These are people who will be in leading positions in ten to twenty years. And he's saying these things to them. Isn't that egregious? Nils Ole Oermann: Sure it is, but it depends what sort of view you have about human beings and people are people. The question is, how do you build frameworks that they can earn decent money, or money decently? It doesn't help much to say this is immoral behavior, whatever you may call that. The question is how do you create a durable framework so that you show that you learn from the financial crisis and that hasn't taken place yet. DW-TV: Alright, Mr. Oermann, we could talk for hours about this. It's a great topic. Thank you very much for coming in to talk with us today. (Interview: Brent Goff)

• 1/27/10
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700 breakfasts, 1,200 lunches, 2,500 dinners -- every day. Preparations for the World Economic Forum in Davos are a logistical challenge every year.The Steigenberger Belvédère Hotel will host the world's biggest companies and countless forums and parties. 220 events -- all in five days. Made in Germany accompanied the planning for the Forum. Report by Vanessa Fischer.

• 1/27/10
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Since taking office in 2008, Gerald Böse, Director of the Cologne Trade Fair, has made a lot happen in the city. In 2010, Cologne will stage 11 event premieres. The former hockey player learned his trade at the Munich Trade Fair.Now his job is to make optimal use of Cologne's new trade fair grounds, which cost 260 million euros to build. Gerald Böse doesn't expect the trade fair grounds to get out of the red until 2012. Report by Manuela Kasper-Claridge.

• 1/27/10
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Children and (come on, admit it!) some adults love fruit gum candy. The northern Bavarian family business of Herbert Mederer has introduced some variants: fruit gum in the form of cell phones and foamy, cola-flavored cows.It all began in 1948 with noodle manufacturing. Today the company produces a wide variety of sweets. But the candy business isn't all sweetness and light: competition is rough. Report by Carmen Meyer.

• 1/27/10
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The ice and snow on the streets this winter have pushed up the demand for rock salt, which means the salt business is booming.Every day 20,000 tons of salt are mined from the pits of the Heilbronn salt works in southwest Germany. Eight hundred trucks loaded with the valuable mineral roll out of the yard daily. The workers are on round-the-clock shifts. But the salt shortage persists. Report by Grit Hofmann.

• 1/20/10
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To remain competitive, business owners constantly need new ideas and innovations. While many firms employ their own development departments, they still rely on ideas from outside the company. The "School of Design Thinking" in Potsdam produces ideas.Companies taking advantage include Deutsche Telekom. They're now testing a new high-format computer monitor developed by the students. The new screen is meant to help people who live apart to experience a portion of their day together. Tobias Lickes reports.

• 1/20/10
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Großbongardt talks to us about the German capital's new airport and about the financial state of the air industry.DW-TV: We're joined by Heinrich Großbongardt, Aviation Industry Analyst. Hello! It would be interesting to know your take on this new Berlin airport. Will it be able to post profits? Heinrich Großbongardt: Perhaps in 8, 9, 10 years. Infrastructure projects like this always take many years to become profitable. And these times are really difficult, because airlines are cutting their networks, not looking for new destinations they could add. DW-TV: That's right. You just mentioned times are difficult. The aviation industry as a whole is not exactly in great shape. Actually, the number of passangers dropped by 200 Million since 2007 while at the same time air fares have also dropped and as we can see here, down by some 20 percent in economy class down by 30 percent in business and first class. And Japan Airlines has just filed for insolvency. So is there any way how this downward spiral can be stopped? Heinrich Großbongardt: Fortunately the economy has bottomed out. We see some sort of growth, but not that much. After the last crisis we had double-digit growth, but that's something which won't happen this time. So airlines are looking to redefine their business models, to find new ways of earning money. To do things much more efficiently, to become more flexible. DW-TV: Like budget airlines, for example. Heinrich Großbongardt: They are looking for things they could adopt from the successful budget airlines. DW-TV: And why haven't they been doing it so far? Budget airlines have been quite successful for quite some time now. Why does Lufthansa, for example, not copy budget airlines? Heinrich Großbongardt: Copying doesn't work. You always have to find elements which you could integrate into your business model. And that's a difficult task of trial and error. DW-TV: So you would say that those big airlines like Lufthansa, like British Airways are really in a dilemma, because they cannot do what budget airlines are doing very successfully. They have to find new models. Do you have any idea how that would work? Heinrich Großbongardt: If I had an idea I would earn a lot of money! DW-TV: Last question: There's a lot of talk about climate change and obviously airplanes are not exactly environmentally friendly. How does all that play into it? Heinrich Großbongardt: Various airlines are buying new airplanes, more efficient airplanes which consume less fuel. On the other hand they are looking for alternative fuels, biofuels which reduce carbon dioxide emissions. DW-TV: Heinrich Großbongardt, thank you very much for joining us.

• 1/20/10
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Berlin has been awaiting its new airport ever since German reunification 20 years ago. Arguments about the location and financing have dragged out the expensive project even further. BBI is supposed to open officially in 2011.The capital city's flagship airport is foreseen as an international hub, but critics of the massive project question its profitability. Will what is intended to be a model international airport instead become a financial black hole? Carmen Meyer reports on one of Europe's largest infrastructure projects.

• 1/20/10
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Consuming some 148 liters a year, the average German drinks more coffee than beer. Every year, almost 400 thousand tons of roasted coffee are produced and consumed in Germany. “Made in Germany” takes a look at sector heavyweight Dallmayr and visits a coffee factory in Bremen. Our reporter Dan Hirschfeld meets customers who are looking for unusual blends and delves into the secrets of the brown bean’s success.

• 1/13/10
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He’ll be talking with us about the prospects for Germany’s exports in 2010.DW-TV: And for more I'm joined by Axel Nitschke from the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce. Solar energy technology is one of Germany's most successfull export articles, for how long? Axel Nitschke: I guess for the next ten years. Burt it wasn't true for last year, of course. DW-TV: So you're optimistic about the export prowess of Germany despite the declining figures that we've seen especially last year... posting heavy losses in the third quarter of 2009: exports to Ukraine dropped by almost 50 percent -- exports to the US down more than 30 percent -- to neighbour France down almost 13 percent -- only exports to China increased by 14.5 percent which is even more interesting given the fact that China looks like the new export world champion - that's a fact now, right? Axel Nitschke: It's not really proven, but I think that the international statistics released at the end of the year that China has indeed passed Germany. That's not to say that German exports won't pick up again, and especially the country's competitive exporters will be back. DW-TV: So what's the problem in Germany ? Is it just the global crisis, or have we been relying too long on old business models, old traditional markets etc.? Axel Nitschke: One point is truer, and that's mass production. Mass production is not the future for German industry. That will be dominated by Chinese and Indian companies. German companies will have to make sure they're in front in producing specialized products, and I believe they will. DW-TV: Better a good copy than a bad original - that's a saying China seems to have taken to heart :-) so whatever great niche innovations we come up with, soon they'll also be available "Made in China" but for half the price, right? Axel Nitschke: That certainly is an issue - whether German industry will be competitive in terms of cost. But I also expect wages in China to rise in the next ten years, and the exchange rate for the Chinese currency will also rise. DW-TV: And what are the chances of Germany getting its crown back, being export world champion once again? Axel Nitschke: I don't think that will ever happen again. China is a much bigger country than Germany, but I guess we'll be in the top three for the coming years. DW-TV: Axel Nitschke, thank you so much for being here.

• 1/13/10
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Spain was long considered an El Dorado for the solar energy industry - until the fall of 2008, when the Spanish government cut its lavish subsidies. The previously booming Spanish market in solar facilities has dramatically declined since then.Juwi, a solar company based in Rhineland-Pfalz, also invested in Spain. Other German companies are withdrawing from the Spanish market, but Juwi is holding on in hopes that the sun will shine on its sector again. Our reporter Vanessa Fischer took a look at the Costa del Sol, the center of Spain’s solar industry.

• 1/13/10
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The European Union has commissioned Bremen’s space travel company OHB to build 14 satellites. This marks the beginning of the satellite navigation system Galileo, which has been in planning for years. Starting in 2014, Galileo will compete with the American GPS system.OHB’s contract is worth 566 million euros. The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, EADS, was hoping to win some of the bidding for the Galileo program. That the much smaller company OHB got the nod is a bit of a sensation. Report by Carmen Meyer.

• 1/13/10
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MADE IN GERMANY takes a look at his forecast for the labor market in 2010.DW-TV: Europe's largest economy has been able to withstand the financial crisis and the recession with minimal unemployment. Will that remain so in 2010? To talk about that, I'm joined by Gerhard Bosch, he is a labor market analyst. Mr. Bosch, good to see you, happy new year. Unemployment in Germany right now is about 7.6 percent. The government predicting it to fall this year. Do you agree with that? Gerhard Bosch: I think unemployment will slightly increase, probably to 3.5 million, but this is still much less than in other countries, like in the US where unemployment doubled within a year. And I think the reason why unemployment is growing slower than in the US is that we have short-time programs. DW-TV: We're going to pick up on this short-time in just a second. Let's look at a graphic that actually shows how unemployment has developed in the last year-and-a-half or so. From June of 2008 until last month, we saw a rise of unemployment, and then the number fell back somewhat, but amazing when you consider how unemployment has grown in the US and the UK, and of course, that brings me to my next question: How did Germany protect its jobs; the answer, is it short-time? Gerhard Bosch: It is short-time, subsidized by the government. And secondly, it's working-time reductions which are not subsidized by the state like reduction of overtime, or using accounts from working-time accounts. And thirdly, it is lower productivity, this means companies do not dismiss their workers ... DW-TV: They're just cutting back their capacity. Gerhard Bosch: Right. DW-TV: This short-time business scheme has been very successful here, and a lot of our viewers are not going to know what that is -- that's actually when people receive less pay, and what they're receiving less of, that's actually been compensated by the government, so taxpayer money is coming in to help that. Is that something that the government can afford to continue into 2010 and maybe even into 2011? Gerhard Bosch: Oh yes, it can, and the program -- the short-time program -- still lasts until the end of the year for those companies who started last year, and new companies can start short-time, so it's lasting. DW-TV: But it's expensive, Mr. Bosch. Gerhard Bosch: It is expensive, but unemployment is more expensive, as you can see in other countries. DW-TV: Is that the key here? Is it more financially responsible to put people on short-time than it is to let them be laid off and to pay them unemployment benefits? Gerhard Bosch: It depends very much on the kinds of jobs. Germany, our export industry relies on skilled workers, and it's very expensive to recruit new skilled workers, it costs on average more than 30,000 euros. So it's good for the German export industry, and it may last if the world economy and the exports are recovering. DW-TV: Let me ask you, do you believe the government here in Germany will be able to lower taxes? It has promised lower taxes -- is that going to happen? Gerhard Bosch: It has happened already, and I regard it as a wrong measure because it does not increase the number of jobs. What we really need for next year is investment programs, a continuation of our anti-fiscal programs, which worked quite well. DW-TV: OK, Mr. Bosch. Again, happy new year, thanks for talking with us this January.

• 1/6/10
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Hohenlohe in Baden-Württemberg is the most economically successful region in Germany. Though firms here were also affected by the financial crisis, there are few other places with so many global market leaders.Two main reasons for the companies’ success are the loyalty and involvement of their employees. Many of them spend their entire lives working for the same firm, allowing businesses to retain valuable know-how. MADE IN GERMANY pays a visit to Hohenlohe. Report by Philip Bilsky.

• 1/6/10
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How do you find the best of the best in the business world? This question prompts companies to think outside the box when it comes to recruiting. One recent job fair mixed networking and winter sports.Students from 20 universities attended "Studenten on Snow – Connect 2009" at Austria’s Pitztal Glacier, where companies take to the ski slopes to recruit new employees. Report by Carmen Meyer.

• 1/6/10
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Flötotto, a family firm, is in the midst of a successful new start – something Frederik Flötotto gets to see first-hand. His family has run a furniture business for more than a century. But a few years ago, the firm went bankrupt – twice.Now, the fourth generation is prepping the company for a comeback. Frederik Flötotto is keeping his family firm afloat in a competitive market – and breathing new life into company traditions. Report by Miltiades Arsenopoulos.

• 1/6/10
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Fireplaces are very popular in Germany, where 500,000 are sold each year. The Kago company is the second-largest fireplace manufacturer and one of few firms to produce its products exclusively in Germany.With 1,500 employees, Kago offers custom-made fireplaces. There are good reasons for the product’s growing popularity: Fireplaces provide both a warm place to gather in the home and help save money on rising energy costs. Report by Christian Pricelius.

• 1/6/10
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Norbert Walter, chief economist at Deutsche Bank, likes straight talk. MADE IN GERMANY joins him in taking stock of economic expectations for 2010.DW-TV: Well, let's hear it now straight from the horse's mouth. Norbert Walter is chief economist at Deutsche Bank for some 20 years now. Thank you so much for joining us on our edition of the old year. Now, what's your take on this so-called credit crunch? Does it exist and how dangerous is it? Norbert Walter: I believe it's exaggerated for now, because much of it has to do with a decline in demand. Investment is at a very low key. And I guess that in the future it will be more difficult to get hold of loans - particularly because some of the old loans are not serviced, because of weaknesses in the other sectors. I'm thinking, for example, of car-supplying industries that are in bad shape -- or shipping. DW-TV: So we haven't seen the worst yet, according to you. Yet the ECB, the European Central Bank, has kept its key interest rate at a record low for quite some time now. Why do banks not pass this benefit on to their customers? Norbert Walter: This benefit is passed on for those who can provide a lot of collateral for a loan. They indeed have the lowest interest rate ever. For example, a mortgage has a yield of only four percent. When I bought a house I had to pay 13 percent for a mortgage. This was in the '70s. DW-TV: Ok. So we know now that you have a house. We also know that you speak your mind clearly - that's partly why you are very popular with the media. And very often what you say is absolutely right. You were one of the first to predict an economic slump for 2009. And as we all know now, German GDP -- after years of constant growth -- really took a plunge. So, what can we expect for 2010? Give us your prediction! Norbert Walter: There is cheap money. And there is fiscal stimulus, that factually has its main impact in 2010. And Asia is already beginning to pull again, and Germany will benefit from that. So I guess the growth rate in 2010 will be something like one to two percent, dependent on what happens to the foreign exchange rate. If the dollar remains weak, we may be at the lower end -- one percent. If it moves towards $1.40 [for 1 euro], we may get the two percent. DW-TV: Any pitfalls, anything that could threaten this timid recovery? Norbert Walter: The most important pitfalls, I believe, are indeed another difficulty in the financial sector -- which can't be excluded. DW-TV: Norbert Walter you are chief economist at Deutsche Bank for some 20 years. You really seemed to be enjoying yourself there, but I'm sure this day was not representative of your normal, everyday life. Looking back at 20 years, more or less, what would you say was your most memorable experience? Norbert Walter: I guess it was German reunification and the economic policy advice that I gave to companies and to politicians at that time. It was so exciting because my team worked like hell, very hard, and with a lot of pleasure and enjoyment. DW-TV: Now, somehow the word 'retirement' does not seem apt for you. So, what's next? Norbert Walter: Walter & Daughters Consult is now on its way. The offices are there. IT is up and running. The Internet page is ready and the business plan is OK for 2010. DW-TV: Well, Norbert Walter, best of luck with your business plan. And, of course, Happy New Year! Norbert Walter: Thank you. (Interview: Monika Jones)

• 12/30/09
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It’s becoming more and more difficult for companies and consumers to get a loan. Buying a new TV on credit, pre-financing a large project or starting a business – lenders are forcing potential borrowers to run the gauntlet.The reason: Banks are only willing to loan money when there’s adequate collateral involved. Risk-taking, it seems, is a thing of the past. Report by Dan Hirschfeld

• 12/30/09
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Emden’s Nordseewerke shipyard on the North Sea is at a crossroads. It was recently sold by ThyssenKrupp, signaling an end to the days when newly built ships disembarked from Emden’s docks.But it’s also a new beginning: The site will become a production hub for components used in off-shore wind turbines. The move has raised hopes in Emden, and most shipyard employees – though probably not all of them – will be able to stay on. The year 2010 will be crucial for this city on the North Sea coast. Report by Wolfgang Bernert

• 12/30/09
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As the oil supply decreases, wood is the subject of renewed interest – particularly for fuel, but also as a building material. This means big profits for the German timber industry – and renewable capital.Timber is more abundant in Germany than anywhere else in Europe, and Berlin is determined to keep it that way. Despite industrial Germany’s tremendous demand for raw materials, forests in the country have been carefully cultivated, not completely chopped down over the last centuries. Report by Sonja Schock.

• 12/30/09
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Combining work and a family is often difficult, but slowly businesses are beginning to re-think their position - not because all the bosses have become fans of the family as in institution, but because long-term family-friendly policies are seen to benefit company growth as well. The area around Nuremberg is planning to raise its profile as the most family-friendly economic region in the country.How does that look in practice? We went there to see. This economically powerful region in northern Bavaria is calling itself the "European Metropolitan Region of Nuremberg." It has 3.5 million residents and is home to 150,00 companies and to a phenomenon that is a rarity in Germany: senior management positions as part-time jobs, for instance at DATEV. Our reporter Marion Hütter visited this software company and IT service provider. Sports equipment manufacturer Adidas looks after the families of its employees especially well, particularly those of its 400 foreign workers. Economic researchers say family-friendly policies can boost an area's attractiveness for businesses, and that sustainable family policies could raise a country's growth by 0.5 percent.

• 12/23/09
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Grandparents, parents, children – all of them under one roof. This traditional model for living is becoming less common in Germany, and so-called "multi-generational" homes have been decreasing in number for years now. But in these economically uncertain times, many makers of prefabricated houses say more and more of their customers are asking for multi-generational homes for extended families.Prefab manufacturer Okal is one of the companies profiting from the trend. Multi-generational houses account for some 30 percent of the firm's sales. Just a few years ago Okal had actually wanted to remove the model from its range because there was so little demand. The company's chief architect, Sven Propfen, told our reporter Mabel Gundlach why demand is now rising again: the discontinuation of subsidies for people building their own owner-occupied homes and lower social benefits the unemployed, among others, are now receiving. He said as the social safety net becomes less reliable, family members' feelings of responsibility for one another are growing. When grandparents, parents, and children live together under one roof, building and living costs are reduced -- and child care becomes easier.

• 12/23/09
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