Structural adjustment in the post-reunification era

Following German reunification, the Federal Ministry of Economy funded studies on regional economic development in the acceding territories. These covered all relevant aspects – economic, technological, research and educational structures, incubation potentials, transport connections, tourism potential along with future structures for regional development and use of EU funds. GOPA-Consultants carried out several such assignments in Saxony; Mr Pornschlegel led the six-expert team for the county collective of Zwickau. This was (and remains) a key automotive region, with the Mosel car factory having been newly built by Volkswagen. The study’s findings were based on a broad, structured survey of regional actors from all walks of life, whose inputs were presented, discussed and finally agreed in a number of workshops leading to a strategy and (costed) action plan. During the plan’s implementation, several further workshops were held; these dealt with organisation and procedures for regional development as well as the establishment of a business incubator. Study tours to similar structures took place to the Länder of Hesse and the Rhineland-Palatinate. In sum, the following services were provided:

• Team co-ordination
• Questionnaire design, face-to-face survey and various SWOT-analyses
• Strategy workshops
• Promotion of inter-communal co-operation
• Laying the basis for organisational structures of economic development (and future use of EU funds)
• Study trips within Germany
• Implementation workshops

GOPA, Bad Homburg (Germany)