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In recent years, Asian countries have experienced rising rates of premarital cohabitation, mirroring a similar trend that could be observed in many European countries several decades ago. As international differences in these trends are often attributed to institutional and societal differences, this study explores how China’s and Germany’s welfare and cultural regimes relate to national differences in the timing and prevalence of premarital cohabitation and direct marriage.

On the basis of two post-hoc harmonized surveys (pairfam for Germany; CFPS for China), descriptive analyses and logistic regressions were conducted. A higher standardization of partnership trajectories during the transition to adulthood was observed in China; this being probably related to China’s collectivist and Germany’s individualistic culture. While urban–rural differences prevail in China, and are attributable to China’s hukou system, East and West Germans differ considerably in this regard, a finding which can be traced back to regional differences in historical legacy. Discrepancies in economic modernization explain why the likelihood of experiencing these events differs for individuals in the Eastern and Western Chinese provinces.

Besides these differences, the two national contexts resemble each other in the prevalence of educational hypergamy, as well as in greater rates of cohabitation prior to first marriage, in contrast to direct marriage, seen among wealthier individuals and those with higher education. For the first time, the effects of cultural and institutional differences on the transition to adulthood were compared between a collectivistic vs. individualistic cultural regime and a productivist vs. corporatist conservative welfare regime, enabling researchers to draw conclusions about the link between cultural and welfare regime types and partnership patterns.

Starting from industry 4.0 in Germany and followed by the New Strategy for American Innovation in the USA and the smartization strategy in Japan, developed countries are pushing nation-wide innovation strategies. Similarly, China is pursuing the Made in China 2025, and Korea announced the Manufacturing Industry Innovation 3.0 strategy. However, few researchers have identified the industrial structure that establishes the foundation of the 4th Industrial Revolution or have derived strengths and weaknesses to provide implications on policy formulation through quantitative comparison with developed countries. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the spillover effect of the information and communication technology (ICT) industry (the foundation of the 4th Industrial Revolution) and machinery·equipment industry (the foundation of smart manufacturing through convergence with ICT industry).

This study examines the industrial spillover effects of the ICT industry and machinery·equipment industry in the USA, Germany, Japan, China and Korea by using the World Input–Output Table from 2000 to 2014.

The results showed that backward linkage effect of the ICT Industry are high in the order of Korea≑China>Japan>the USA≑Germany, and forward linkage effect of the ICT industry are high in the order of Japan ≑> the USA≑Korea ≑> China ≑> Germany. Backward linkage effects of the machinery·equipment industry are high in the order of China>Japan≑Korea>the USA>Germany, and forward linkage effects of the machinery·equipment industry are high in the order of China>Korea>Germany≑Japan≑the USA.

China and Korea encourage active government investment in ICT and machinery·equipment industries, especially the intentional convergence between ICT and machinery·equipment industries is expected be generate higher synergy. The “innovation in manufacturing” strategy in the USA that utilizes its strength in ICT services seems appropriate, whereas Germany needs to revitalize the ICT industry to strengthen its manufacturing industry. Japan’s strategy is to focus its ICT capabilities on robot sector. While the scope of innovation is limited, its synergy is worth expecting.

This study attempted to provide a theoretical approach to the determination of national policy strategies and provide practical implications for response to the impacts of the 4th Industrial Revolution, by comparing the inducement effects of ICT and machinery·equipment industries between major countries.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate changes of China’s agri-food exports to Germany caused by China’s accession to WTO and the global financial crisis in a quantitative way. The paper aims to detect structural breaks and compare differences before and after the change points.

The structural breaks detection procedures in this paper can be applied to find out two different types of change points, i.e. in the middle and at the end of one time series. Then time series and regression models are used to compare differences of trade relationship before and after the detected change points. The methods can be employed in any economic series and work well in practice.

The results indicate that structural breaks in 2002 and 2009 are caused by China’s accession to WTO and the financial crisis. Time series and regression models show that the development of China’s exports to Germany in agri-food products has different features in different sub-periods. Before 1999, there is no significant relationship between China’s exports to Germany and Germany’s imports from the world. Between 2002 and 2008 the former depends on the latter very strongly, and China’s exports to Germany developed quickly and stably. It decreased, however suddenly in 2009, caused by the great reduction of Germany’s imports from the world in that year. But China’s market share in Germany still had a small gain. Analysis of two categories in agri-food trade also leads to similar conclusions. Comparing the two events we see rather different patterns even if they both indicate structural breaks in the development of China’s agri-food exports to Germany.

This paper partly originally proposes two statistical algorithms for detecting different kinds of structural breaks in the middle part and at the end of a short-time series, respectively.

Nested within institutional theory and the political economy perspective, this study aims to examine Chinese outward foreign direct investments (OFDI)-supporting organizations and fostering mechanisms for its SMEs in Europe’s largest economy, Germany.

The authors conduct a multiple-case study to present rich insights from elite interviews with representatives of Chinese and German governmental organizations, intermediary parties and specialized OFDI consultants. In addition, the authors analyze secondary data such as presentations, websites, brochures, social media and recent Chinese OFDI policies for SMEs. The findings are triangulated by interviewing business owners and senior executives of seven Chinese SMEs that have invested in Germany.

Cooperating with Germany’s federal government, China’s ministries implemented an effective OFDI support network in Germany, which connects and benefits both economies. This includes Chinese governmental organizations, privately-held national champions, German–Chinese business associations and linked intermediary parties. These organizations support SMEs through four main mechanisms: networking and information, mutually beneficial knowledge transfer between innovation partners, lobbying for potential cooperation and an objective picture of Chinese OFDI and facilitating investment services.

This study advances OFDI theory and contributes to the growing discussion on the internationalization of Chinese SMEs by shedding light on China’s OFDI support organizations and mechanisms in the German market. The study also offers practical contributions. Understanding better how governments can spur internationalization is vital, as it determines the effectiveness of policymaking and fosters international mutual understanding, cultural exchange and firm growth and innovation (Ahlstrom, 2010), and hence ultimately contributes positively to society. Moreover, knowing the specific OFDI support organizations and measures China is currently adopting can serve as a helpful orientation for Chinese entrepreneurs who plan to invest in Germany.

Using consumer electronics brands as examples, this paper aims to present country-of-origin (COO) as a dynamic concept, by analyzing changes in the representation and perception of the “Made in China” label in Germany.

Building on previous COO research, the study formulates four research questions, which are answered with a comprehensive brand analysis using website, media, and consumer data. Information were collected from 11 Chinese brand websites, 10,681 German media articles and a sample of 490 German consumers. The authors statistically evaluated the survey data and examined the website and media data by means of a qualitative content analysis.

The results of the study show how Chinese brands currently present their COO in Germany and how the perception of “Made in China,” by German media and consumers, has changed to varying degrees. These changes pose marketing challenges for the increasingly prevalent Chinese brands in Germany, which need to be addressed by companies using strategic PR and marketing activities.

This study suggests that COO images should be understood as a dynamic construct, and the multifaceted brand perceptions, including media reports, should be given greater consideration.

International marketers will find information on current country product recognition, and recommendations for the analysis and strategic communication of (Chinese) brands abroad.

This study contributes to COO research by examining the recent status of “Made in China” labels in Germany, focusing on China not as a manufacturing location, but as the home country for branded products. A media analysis is incorporated to add a novel dimension to the examination of brand identity-image gaps.

This paper examines German trade and investment structures in relation to China, establishing for the 1990s: a severe trade imbalance, with stagnating German exports and sharply rising imports; it also establishes, despite occasionally substantial increases in contracted investment, a general pattern of steep decline in realized German investment. These findings contrast markedly with official surveys of German business opinions which seem to yield a very positive frame of mind by German businessmen regarding their business activity in China. Both grounds for disillusionment and success factors for foreign (German) business in China are explored, phenomena which are possibly shaping German conformance to the wider, distinct and apparently inexorable trend away from joint ventures towards wholly foreign‐owned enterprises. Regardless of such developments, Germany is a key business partner for China, not least because of its readiness to share sensitive high‐technology as, for example, in the field of environmental protection.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the competitive advantage of German renewable energy firms in India and China. Porter's diamond model is modified and specified for the renewable energy industry.

Based on Porter's diamond model of competitiveness, the authors examine the demand for renewable energies in India and China and the ability of German firms to meet this demand.

While the overall demand for renewable energies in India and China is significant, the study reveals remarkable differences in the fields of biomass, solar and wind energy. The findings are meant to address managers in the renewable energy industry and to aid policy makers in environmental support and action.

A major theoretical contribution of the study is the application of Porter's diamond model to the renewable energy industry, as well as the identification and operationalization of the relevant causal and proxy variables.

The paper provides a detailed analysis of the factors on which the competitive advantage of German renewable energy technologies in India and China is based. This helps managers of renewable energy firms to focus on those areas where they have particular strengths and to introduce measures to overcome potential weaknesses.

The authors used a modified version of Porter's diamond model and specified it for the renewable energy industry. The model was tested empirically in Germany and both emerging countries on the basis of secondary data.