M RahmanPESTEL analysis of Germany (country profile)
This detailed PESTEL analysis of Germany (country profile) aims to address some of the political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors that affect Germany today. Germany is a country in Central and Western Europe. It is the most powerful country in the European Union and plays a considerable role in global economy and politics.
Political environment in Germany
Germany is a federal, parliamentary, and representative democratic republic. While the President is the head of state of Germany, the Chancellor is the head of government and exercises executive authority through the Cabinet.
The Chancellor plays almost the identical role of a Prime Minister in other parliamentary democracies in the world. Germany borders the United Kingdom and Sweden by sea, and Denmark, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, the Czech Republic by land.
Germany has been maintaining a very good alliance with France and some other countries for a long time. This alliance has perhaps immensely contributed to the making Germany as the most powerful country in the European Union.
In addition to being a member of the European Union, Germany is also a member of NATO, the OECD, the G8, the G20, the World Bank and the IMF. It is worth mentioning that it is the largest contributor to the budget of the European Union and the third largest contributor to the United Nations.
While it is widely recognised that Germany is one of the closest and strongest allies of the United States in Europe, some recent research suggest that this bilateral relationship is going through certain challenges.
For instance, according to a recent Pew Research Centre and Körber-Stiftung public opinion survey, 73% of Germans said that their country’s relationship with the USA is bad while 70% of the Americans said the relationship is good.
Economic environment in Germany
The next element to address in the PESTEL analysis of Germany (country profile) is the economic environment. Germany is the 4th largest economy in the world (Focus Economics, 2023). However, concerns have been raised due to the falls in industrial production and manufacturing orders in the last few years.
While concerns have been raised about the health of several industries, the German job market is in very good health with a low unemployment rate. Germany is well-known for its amazing working conditions for both of its citizens and expatriates.
It is worth mentioning that German employees enjoy generous benefits e.g. some of the longest holidays in the EU, job protection and some of the highest salaries in the world.
The corporate tax rate is set at 15.825%. However, businesses also need to pay a solidarity surcharge of 5.5% on their corporate tax, and 14–17% of trade tax rates by local municipalities. When all of these are combined, the corporate tax rate amounts to around 30–33% (PwC, 2022).
For employees, the income tax rate ranges from14% to 42%. However, 45% tax is applicable if someone’s income goes above €270,501. In addition to the income tax, employees must also pay solidarity tax, which is capped at 5.5% of their income tax (PwC, 2022).
Germany imports a broad spectrum of goods and some of its top imports are cars, vehicle parts, agricultural products, chemicals, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, and human or animal blood. Most of the German’s imports come from the USA, France, China, Italy and the Netherlands.
The top export destinations of Germany are the USA, France, China, the UK and the Netherlands. Some of the top exports are cars, vehicle parts, planes, helicopters, and spacecrafts.
Social environment in Germany
Germany is one of the best countries to live in the world in terms of wealth, education, health, and quality of life. With a total population over 84 million, it is the second most populous country in Europe (Worldometer, 2023).
The life expectancy for men is 78 years while 83 years for women. However, many experts have raised concerns about the growing number of retirees and shrinking of population in general in the country. Indeed, Germany has one of the lowest birth-rates in the world.
Germany is a cosmopolitan country, and its society has been shaped by a pluralism of lifestyles. While 60-70 percent people identify themselves as Christians, 4.4 percent of the population identify themselves as Muslims. Approximately 35% people have no religious affiliation. A huge number of people in Germany has a migratory background.
The German society focuses on structure, privacy, punctuality, hard work, diligence, and perfectionism in all aspects of lives. No wonder why it is one of the largest economies in the world. It is also one of the world’s best in many sports e.g. football, hockey, ice-hockey, golf, tennis, and skiing.
It is not surprising that most of the people in Germany have a high standard of living. Germany is a welfare state and people have freedom to shape their own lives.
However, there are some social challenges that need to be taken into account. For instance, ageing population, low birth-rates, diminishing purchasing power, falling wages, and expensive lifestyle are to name but a few.
Technological environment in Germany
Another important element in this PESTEL analysis of Germany (country profile) is the technological environment. Many people identify Germany as a World Cup Football champion and a leading car manufacturing nation. While there is no problem in such positions, many people are perhaps not aware that Germany is the 5th best technologically advanced country in the world.
Germany has a proud history of research and innovation. It is a leader in a number of markets e.g. medicine, scientific research, infrastructure, military technology, engineering, and design.
ITC sector employs over one million people in Germany and is ahead of many other big industries such as mechanical engineering, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. With a global market share of around 14%, it is also a leading nation in developing green products, processes and services.
Germany is also a leader in renewable energy technology. It has made significant investments in renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. It also has a strong commitment to sustainability, and the government has set a goal of achieving 100% renewable energy use by 2035 (Reuters, 2022).
German technology is also used in many other areas, such as automotive and aerospace engineering. Germany is home to some of the leading automotive manufacturers, such as Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, and has has a long history of aerospace engineering and development.
It was reported that the German government has set aside around 3 billion Euros for research and development of artificial intelligence to be spent up to 2025. The aim of this is to close a gap in software-led innovation between Germany and other American and Asian giants.
Environmental factors in Germany
Tourism is one of the major industries in Germany and contributes around 4.5% to the national GDP. In fact, Germany is one of the top tourist destinations in the world. It received around 27 million visitors in 2020 (Statista, 2022).
German history, culture, scenic beauty, historic cities and towns, small villages, grand palaces, cathedrals, forests, mountains, festivals, fairs, and many other attractions make it a unique place to visit.
Germany is a land of wonders, a country that has something to offer everyone. From the bustling metropolises of Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg to the unspoiled natural beauty of the Bavarian and Black Forest regions, it is definitely a place worth exploring.
While Germany is a great place to visit, it faces some enormous environmental challenges. It faces the consequences of global warming like the rest of the world. Water pollution, air pollution, acid rain, emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries, damaging forests, and automobile exhausts are some of the biggest environmental challenges facing Germany today.
Similarly, devastating floods in western Germany in July 2021 caused loss of many lives, and left thousands of people without access to drinking water, electricity, and gas.
However, the German government has taken a number of initiatives to tackle environmental challenges. For instance, it has decided to use fewer resources while ensuring that the same amount of prosperity is maintained.
Legal environment in Germany
The last element to address in the PESTEL analysis of Germany (country profile) is the legal landscape of the country. In the eyes of the German law, there are usually no differences between German nationals and foreign nationals concerning investments or the establishment of companies.
In fact, the German government promotes establishment of all types of business. In this case, its approach is very open regardless of whether or not the businesses involve German nationals or foreigners.
Written contract of employment outlining the key aspects of employment must be issued to employees. The minimum wage in Germany is €12 per hour, and it is expected to increase a bit soon. It is not uncommon for employees in Germany to enjoy 25 and 30 days of holiday per year.
Summary of the PESTEL analysis of Germany (country profile)
Germany is a land of wonders, with something to offer everyone. From its cutting-edge technology to its commitment to social progress and legal protection, it is a country worth exploring. However, it faces several challenges that need to be addressed to ensure its continuing success.
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Last update: 05 January 2023
References:
Focus Economics (2023) The World’s Top 10 Largest Economies, available at: https://www.focus-economics.com/blog/the-largest-economies-in-the-world (accessed 03 January 2023)
PwC (2022) Germany Individual – taxes on personal income, available at: https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/germany/individual/taxes-on-personal-income (accessed 03 January 2023)
Reuters (2022) Germany aims to get 100% of energy from renewable sources by 2035, available at: https://www.reuters.com/business/sustainable-business/germany-aims-get-100-energy-renewable-sources-by-2035-2022-02-28/ (accessed o1 January 2023)
Statista (2022) Number of international arrivals in tourist accommodation in Germany 2006-2019, available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/614334/number-international-arrivals-spent-in-accommodation-in-germany/ (accessed 031January 2023)
Worldometer (2023) Germany population, available at: https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/germany-population/ (accessed 03 January 2023)
Author: M Rahman
M Rahman writes extensively online and offline with an emphasis on business management, marketing, and tourism. He is a lecturer in Management and Marketing. He holds an MSc in Tourism & Hospitality from the University of Sunderland. Also, graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University with a BA in Business & Management Studies and completed a DTLLS (Diploma in Teaching in the Life-Long Learning Sector) from London South Bank University.
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