Individual measures are effective—but an overarching strategy is lacking

Resilience is a collective effort: companies view the roles of policymakers and government institutions in this regard in a nuanced way—they certainly view individual government support measures positively. From the perspective of many businesses, however, there is a lack of an overarching strategy that brings together the various instruments and aligns them with a common goal for the business location. This is the key finding of the survey “Economic Resilience and Measures to Strengthen It” conducted by the Allensbach Institute for Public Opinion Research (IfD) on behalf of the BDI.

Companies view measures to tap into new sources of supply and sales markets—such as through international partnerships or free trade agreements—particularly favorably. More than half of those surveyed attest that the government is doing a good job in this area. Support programs are also recognized: Just under half rate the financial support provided by national or European programs positively, and more than a third are already using such support instruments.

Furthermore, cooperation with government agencies runs largely smoothly where it takes place. More than 40 percent of companies regularly collaborate with ministries or government agencies—and among very large companies with 3,000 or more employees, the figure is nearly two-thirds. Over 80 percent of these companies rate the cooperation as good or very good.

Shortcomings in Risk Analysis and Early Warning Information

The assessment is significantly more critical in areas where companies rely on government information and analysis services. Only just under one-third of respondents give the government high marks for providing early warning and crisis information. When it comes to comprehensive analyses of economic and technological dependencies—such as risks related to countries, technologies, or export controls—approval drops to around one-quarter.

It is precisely here that many companies see a core government responsibility. Companies can analyze risks within their own supply chains. However, synthesizing information from various (government) agencies to create situational assessments, comprehensive evaluations of geopolitical developments, global dependencies, or strategic risks is beyond their capabilities. The government should collect and share this information, as it is of great importance to the economy but is only available to a limited extent.

Companies Expect Better Framework Conditions

When asked an open-ended question about the most important economic policy measures, executives responded with clear priorities:

• Just over a third call for reduced bureaucracy, faster approval processes, and deregulation.
• Just under 30 percent call for adjustments to energy policy—above all, a reduction in energy prices (around 20 percent) as well as greater reliability and planning certainty.

Resilience does not arise solely from additional regulation or new subsidy programs. Equally important are framework conditions that enable investment, strengthen innovation, and promote entrepreneurial adaptability.

Regulation Can Strengthen—or Hinder—Resilience

The study reveals a clear tension. On the one hand, about three-quarters of companies see their resilience strengthened by at least one of the German or European regulations surveyed. Examples include the KRITIS legislation for the protection of critical infrastructure and regulations aimed at strengthening the circular economy.

On the other hand, nearly half of the companies also see risks to their own operations in government resilience measures. These include, above all, additional operational burdens resulting from complex regulations as well as rising costs—for example, due to stricter warehousing requirements or the relocation of production back to Germany. Very large companies, in particular, report such burdens at an above-average rate.

Policy frameworks designed to strengthen resilience should therefore, above all, set clear goals, be practicable, and not unnecessarily burden competitiveness.

Resilience Requires a Shared Vision

Companies are already taking responsibility and investing significantly in their own resilience. However, there are many key risks—ranging from geopolitical conflicts to energy supply and critical dependencies—that they cannot manage on their own. Government action can create real added value for a resilient business environment: through strategic risk analyses, reliable early-warning systems, competitive energy prices, and investment-friendly conditions.

However, the survey also shows that answers to fundamental questions are lacking. Which dependencies should be specifically reduced in the coming years? What capacities must Germany and Europe secure in the long term? Which risks are acceptable—and which are not?

As long as these questions remain unanswered and an overarching political strategy is lacking, individual measures cannot achieve their full impact. What is needed, therefore, is not piecemeal micromanagement or a hodgepodge of individual measures, but a strategic framework: a shared vision for a resilient business location, clear priorities for achieving it, and policies that consistently align their tools with that vision.