There are always crises, but rarely do they overlap as they do now: While companies are supposed to digitize, reduce bureaucracy and raw material dependencies, they are already exhausted by the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine. However, Arno Haselhorst believes that simply accepting these explanations instead of finding and tackling the underlying causes in their own company is a problem. He explains: “Companies must first fully embrace the crisis mode.”

Out of fear, many companies would only react with half-hearted measures. “Like rabbits in front of a snake” is how Arno Haselhorst paints the picture of companies that are still shying away from consistent restructuring and transformation steps. But the time has come to fundamentally rethink business models.

Once the substance has been used up, as is the case in many places, there is no way around far-reaching reforms. Arno Haselhorst also sees investment as essential for Germany as a whole, so that German industry can once again become a driving force for the whole of Europe.