The Situation of Medium-Sized Companies in North Rhine-Westphalia (1963)

The situation and structure of medium-sized companies in North
Rhine-Westphalia.

Topics: information on legal reform, on proportion of turnover and
export of the business; management organization of the business;
distribution of authority in company management; presence of an
organization plan; responsibility for personnel questions; difficulties
in obtaining needed personnel; personnel fluctuation; particular
difficulties in personnel matters; planned measures to promote sales;
knowledge about market share in the FRG; customers and sales territory;
judgement on the capability of the marketing organization; development
of advertising budget; current market observation; changes of product
spectrum and products in the last few years; rationalization measures
in production and job preparation; particular problems in the
production area; use of DIN-norms or company norms; award of jobs to
subcontractors; attitude to piecework wage; judgement on master
scheduling in comparison to competition; disposition methods used to
reduce inventory; costing methods used and cost calculation; use of
bookkeeping in decision-making; financial problems; relationship of
company capital and outside capital; assessment of current liquidity
situation; annual investment volume; access to the capital market;
planning procedures used in the area of finances; general goals of
company policies; perceived possibilities to improve company results;
judgement on the competition situation and the opportunities for
cooperation; effects of legislation on company goals; membership in
trade associations; utilization of external consultants; preferred
possibilities of employer further education; judgement on the economic
development of the area of business in the next few years; expected
development of the company; judgement on market adaptation from
company´s own strength; attitude to governmental support measures;
detailed information on number of employees and proportion of foreign
workers; number of sick; fluctuation; classification of employees in
individual company areas; business location and information on
advertising.

Demography: housing situation; city size; refugee status; occupation.

Interviewer rating: willingness of respondent to cooperate; over-all
impression of the business.