Corporate success (also) depends on soft factors!

Corporate culture...

Global competition in the auto- and car component industry places increased pressure on historically grown corporate culture to change. On the one hand, corporate culture is becoming ever more important in maintaining cohesion in enterprises across national boundaries. On the other hand, enterprises need to take into better consideration the respective national cultures. Employees are required to display greater commitment vis a vis their company. At the same time, long-term trust relationships, stable employment and consensual conflict resolution are sometimes put in question.

…and corporate ethics…

Furthermore, questionable behaviour by certain managers as well as legal investigations prompt the demand for clear-cut corporate ethics. Enterprises need to hold their ground in the face of tough globalised competition without thereby disregarding the social orientation of ownership. On the one hand, aggressive individualism is often propagated, while on the other, team spirit and common welfare are desired qualities in an employee.

… as strategic resources

Corporate culture and corporate ethics should no longer be viewed as bothersome encumbrances. In the 21. century, competitiveness and sustainable corporate development depend mainly on bringing together globally dispersed knowledge stocks regarding markets, products, production systems and people and mobilising them as resources on a global level. This preconditions trust, reliability and longer-term predictability regarding people, locations and within enterprises as a whole.

At the 3. Auto Congress, corporate culture and corporate ethics as strategic resources in the globalisation process will be discussed by acknowledged experts from the fields of science and business. Current topics will be dealt with in depth in three parallel work groups.