BEST MERGER EVER•Bloomberg Businessweek

The cover story this week supports our classwork at the moment. It is on the success of Germany's Reunification, and includes these articles:

Table of Contents: Country Report: Germany at 20 HERE

• The 20-Year Miracle HERE
LEAD SENTENCE: Welded together from unequal parts, modern Germany has overcome historic challenges and matured into Europe's economic powerhouse. Scenes from a marriage that's a little short on romance -- and long on success.

• Podcast: Best Merger Ever HERE (Why not download this and listen to the articles?)
SUBTITLE: Synergy never works? Tell it to the Germans; Twenty years after reunification, Germany is the wheelhouse of Europe, driving regional growth, safeguarding stability, and often footing the bills.

• Germany's Growth: New Rules, Old Companies HERE

• The Rebirth of Dresden HERE

• Why Don't Germans Invest in Stocks? HERE

• How Not to Embarrass Yourself in Germany (.pfd) (Link through Table of contents, above)

• The Workscape (.pdf) (Link through Table of contents, above)

• A Q&A with Siemesn CEO Peter Löscher HERE

• A Merger in the Schadow HERE

• Partial Summary: For German Chancelor, Angela Merkel, Perils in Pragmatism (as she supports bailing out weaker EU countries, while losing support at home)

• Slideshow: East German Brands That Won't Die (Can you imagine how hard it has been for those in the former East to let go of hundreds of others?) HERE

• Slideshow: East Germany By the Numbers HERE

• Germany's Mittelstand (mid-sized companies) Still Thrives HERE

• BusinessWeek's COMMENTS PAGE HERE (Recommended.)

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