Over the past decade, the "German Model" of industrial organization has
been the subject of vigorous debate among social scientists and
historians, especially in comparison to the American one. Is a "Rhenish
capitalism" still viable at the beginning of the 21st century and does
it offer a road to the New Economy different from the one, in which the
standards are set by the U.S.? The author, one of Germany's leading
economic historians, analyzes the special features of the German path to
the New Economy as it faces the American challenge. He paints a
fascinating picture of Germany Inc. and looks at the durability of some
of its structures and the mentalities that undergird it. He sees a
"culture clash" and argues against an underestimation of the dynamics of
the German industrial system. A provocative book for all interested in
comparative economics and those who have been inclined to dismiss the
German Model as outmoded and weak.