Chamber of Industry and Commerce Survey "Going International" – Analysis of Trade in Services and the Role of Subsidies

The results of the survey "Going International – Erfolgsfaktoren im Auslandsgeschäft" (Going international – success factors for doing business abroad) were already exploited in 2007 to address several policy questions in the field of international business and economics. Two important aspects are in the focus of the second examination in 2008:

• Which are the main governmental and non-governmental supporting measures for multinational enterprises? Which firms and which business activities get supported? Do these assistances have a measurable impact on the firm’s success?
• To what extent and through which mode are service firms internationally active? What are the main differences with respect to manufacturing firms?

In addition to these focal points, we discuss the optimal internationalization strategy of firms. In this respect, for enterprises in general and service providers in particular, it is crucial to determine whether international activities will be conducted within the boundaries of the firm (in-house) or in cooperation with local partners.