Kommentar: Die Todsünde des Mittelstands
Energie, Batteriezellen, KI, seltene Erden – die Abhängigkeiten deutscher Unternehmen sind bekannt. Geopolitische Risiken ebenso. Wird es Zeit, Souveränität (wieder) als Geschäftsziel zu verankern?
Recent news about the Strait of Hormuz affects not only the energy and stock markets, but also the purchasing departments of numerous family businesses. Four years after Russia invaded Ukraine, dependence on fossil fuels has barely decreased and is just as prevalent with non-democratic suppliers. Many middlemen became aware of their dependencies in supply chains during the pandemic.
They are familiar with their rapidly increasing reliance on battery cells and rare earths from China, as well as their dependence on the United States for software, cloud services, and AI applications. Two months ago, the AI company Anthropic had to suspend its latest models for all non-US citizens at the United States' request – a wake-up call too late.
In addition, the drought reveals that despite ample scientific information, dependence on climate and climate change is still not being addressed through entrepreneurial solutions. Why, specifically in times of major geopolitical challenges, is sovereignty – or independence – no longer a corporate goal?
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
