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Economic Sectors and Industries

The Austrian Institute for SME Research continuously monitors the economic development for numerous economic sectors and industries and has comprehensive databases at its disposal. In addition, in-depth studies are prepared on specific issues and analyses are offered at the level of sectors, regions and company sizes.

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Selected industries and sectors

Tourism

food production

Crafts and Trades

Retail and Wholesale Trade

Information and Consulting

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Creative Industries

Further Industries/Industry Monitor

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Accompanying evaluation of the EXIST-programme

The funding programme "EXIST – university based business start-ups" aims to increase the number and success of technology-oriented and knowledge-based start-ups and to improve the start-up climate at German universities and non-university research institutes. This accompanying evaluation focuses on the EXIST -…
Expected Completion
2025/12
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Resilience, Structure and Digitalization of Direct Sales Systems in Farming

Against the background of the regionality of food, the resistance of the supply systems and the different types of farms, the project addresses several questions. For example, it is to be investigated how farm types can better use the potential of regionality…
Expected Completion
2025/08
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Bureaucratic burden in trade and handicraft in Austria

This study (carried out on behalf of the Wirtschaftskammer Österreich ) examines the bureaucratic burden in Austrian trade and crafts. The aim was to record the time and financial burden caused by bureaucratic obligations. The study is based on 1,535 company responses…
Completed
2024/07
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Business Succession in Tourism in Austria

The research project 'Business transfer in tourism' provides an inventory of business succession in tourism. In addition, current support services and the funding landscape in Austria and the federal states are analysed. The study was conducted on the basis of an online…
Completed
2024/04
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The bureaucratic burden on the business economy in Lower Austria

Fulfilling bureaucratic tasks is a major challenge for companies. In this research study, the bureaucratic burden of enterprises in the commercial sector in Lower Austria was surveyed and the bureaucratic burden index was calculated. The focus is on determining the time and…
Completed
2024/03
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Economic Report Information and Consulting 2024

In 2023, the information and consulting sector recorded a subdued development. Although turnover has increased in nominal terms, there has been a decline in real terms. Companies are generally confident for the current year 2024. With regard to turnover expectations, however, it…
Completed
2024/03
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Building cleaning

The study examines the current economic significance and development of the commercial cleaning sector, the importance of the sector for the labour market, the market and competitive situation and the economic/financial situation of companies. It also looks at the framework conditions (e.g.…
Completed
2024/01
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UBIT Radar (Management consulting, accounting and information technology survey)

Since 2009, the "UBIT" survey describes the situation and development in the field of management consulting, accounting and information technology. The basis is analyses of secondary statistical sources as well as an empirical survey of the member companies of the professional association.…
Completed
2023/11
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Business Analysis: The Retail Sector in Austria 2023

The Austrian retail sector faces numerous challenges: Inflation, rising costs (rents, energy, raw materials), supply chain disruptions, natural disasters, technological change and online competition. Customers expect personalised shopping experiences, fast deliveries and easy returns. Sustainability demands require adjustments, and skills shortages make…
Completed
2023/10
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Structural analysis in stationary retail 2023

The structural analysis conducted annually on behalf of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber - Trade Division shows for the analysis year 2022 that the downward trend in business figures in the retail sector will continue in 2021 with a brief interruption in…
Completed
2023/10
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Labour force and skilled labour situation in Vienna

The study contains an analysis of the situation and development on the Viennese labour market in general and the skilled labour situation of 10 economic sectors (sector portraits) in particular. Based on this, a comprehensive assessment of the skilled labour situation in…
Completed
2023/09
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Creative Industries Report 2023

The Creative Industries Report 2023 shows that the Austrian creative industries comprise about 50,000 companies with about 170,000 employees. The sector has generated revenues of € 24 billion, which have increased significantly by 13 % from the first Corona year 2020 to…
Completed
2023/07
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Vienna Creative Industries Report 2023

The Vienna Creative Industries Report provides a comprehensive overview of the structure and development of Vienna's creative industries. Almost a fifth of Vienna's companies (19,000) belong to the creative industries. These companies employ around 71,300 people and generate a turnover of €…
Completed
2023/06
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Online Study 2023 – Online Retailing in Austria

The study and the results of previous surveys show that it is no longer possible to imagine the retail trade without online trade. Fewer and fewer SMEs in the Austrian retail sector are able to escape the shift of retail to the…
Completed
2023/06
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eCommerce Study 2023

The 14th edition of the nationwide "eCommerce Study Austria" shows unexpected inflation-related changes and a diametrical development in distance commerce: significant increases in the number of buyers meet with significantly declining per capita spending of -9%. For the first time this year,…
Completed
2023/06
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Expanding the use of clay in the construction sector by establishing a testing network

Manufacturing processes and transport of building materials are energy-intensive and cause high CO2 emissions. In addition, many building materials pose a health and disposal problem due to their content of disruptive and harmful substances. Regionally available clay can replace conventional materials if…
Completed
2023/05
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Expanding the use of clay in the construction sector by establishing a testing network

Manufacturing processes and transport of building materials are energy-intensive and cause high CO2 emissions. In addition, many building materials pose a health and disposal problem due to their content of disruptive and harmful substances. Regionally available clay can replace conventional materials if…
Completed
2023/05
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Economic report on trade and crafts in Austria – full year 2022 & 1st quarter 2023

The Austrian Institute for SME Research has been monitoring the Austrian crafts and trades sector on a quarterly basis since 1981. Data on the current situation and expectations for the following quarter are collected on a quarterly basis for selected sectors. In…
Completed
2023/04
german publication
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Retail Trade Yearbook 2023

The Retail Trade Yearbook provides the most comprehensive data analysis of Austrian retail trade and shows current figures on the industry structure, turnover and personnel development as well as the profitability of the companies. More Info
Completed
2023/03
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PRO_Service: innovations for product-service systems in the manufacturing sector

Industrial manufacturing processes are still linked with high energy and material demands. Although rental and service models for production facilities have been discussed for many years as promising solutions, such alternatives to the acquisition of facilities have not yet been able to…
Completed
2023/01
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Structural analysis in stationary retail 2022

The structural change in the stationary retail trade is visibly intensifying - most recently especially due to the consequences of the Corona pandemic and the consequences of the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine. The number of retail shops is continuously decreasing…
Completed
2022/12
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Analysis of the lightweight construction industry and research in Austria in an international context

The study serves to record the potential and technological competence of industry and research in the field of lightweight construction in Austria. Based on this, links to lightweight construction strategies and activities in other countries will be established. This serves to embed…
Completed
2022/12
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Creative Industries Barometer Autumn 2022

The Creative Industries Barometer provides information on the economic situation of the industry based on a company survey. The creative industries have clearly developed positively in the last twelve months, but not quite as positively as the rest of the economy. The…
Completed
2022/11
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Interdisciplinarity in applied research

This study looks at the role of interdisciplinary collaboration in applied research. The research network Austrian Cooperative Research (ACR) is used as a case example for investigating aspects such as the forms and patterns, the purposes, the benefits, and the challenges and…
Completed
2022/08
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Comparative analysis of wage and social standards in food production

While the added value of agricultural goods and food is increasing, companies in agriculture are feeling increasing cost pressure. Labour and social costs in particular contribute to this as essential elements of the cost structure of farms. Since both food prices and…
Completed
2022/06
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E-Commerce Study Austria 2022

The 13th edition of the “E-Commerce-Report Austria 2022” analyses the shopping behaviour of the Austrian population regarding classic mail-order business as well as internet retail-trade. The main indicators are the number of Austrians, who buy via distance selling, expenditures and the development…
Completed
2022/06
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Construction value chain Lower Austria

The study includes a presentation and description of the value chain of the Lower Austrian construction industry (construction sector as well as real estate and housing), an analysis of its regional and economic importance as well as an estimation of the effects…
Completed
2022/06
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Sectoral and structural development in gastronomy, the hotel industry and food production before Covid-19 in Austria

In this study, for the first time in Austria, a detailed analysis of balance sheet data was made for three important elements of the value chain: Food production excluding feed, restaurants and hotels, inns and guesthouses. The period covers the period up…
Completed
2022/05
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Economic Report Information and Consulting 2022

After Corona-related declines in turnover in 2020, the information and consulting sector developed positively again in 2021. Only in the printing, advertising and book/media industries was it not yet possible to reach the starting level of 2019. For 2022, the companies expect…
Completed
2022/03
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10. Austrian Creative Industries Report: Focus on Resilience in the Corona Crisis

The Tenth Austrian Creative Industries Report sheds light on the resilience of the creative industries in the Corona crisis. The creative industries data sheet includes the analysis of current data on the economic significance, the development before and during the Corona crisis…
Completed
2022/01
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9th Report on Austrian Creative Industries with a Focus on “Digital Transformation 2030

The creative industries were affected to varying degrees by the lockdowns. Despite the Corona pandemic, it can be seen that creatives are important drivers of digital transformation. The Creative Industries Report is available at the following link: https://www.kreativwirtschaft.at/neunter-kreativwirtschaftsbericht
Completed
2021/07
german report
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The Catering Industry in Austria before Covid-19 : Initial Situation of Sector and Structural Development (Die Gastronomie vor Covid-19 in Österreich: Ausgangslage der Branchen- und Strukturentwicklung)

The foodservice industry is facing special challenges and pressures as a result of the Covid 19 crisis and infection risk reduction measures. To assess future trends and evaluate measures to improve crisis management, it is necessary to have sufficient knowledge of the…
Completed
2021/06
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Economic Report Information and Consulting 2021

The Report 2021 shows the economic development of the member companies of the Information and Consulting sector for the year 2020, an assessment of the order situation with the beginning of 2021 as well as the outlook for the year 2021. Based…
Completed
2021/05
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Competitiveness of the EU Engineering Industries and the Impact of Digitalisation

The study explores the competitiveness of the engineering industries in the EU against its major competitors USA, Japan, South Korea and the BRICs countries. It compares regulatory frameworks of EU and major third country competitors in the field of engineering industries. Furthermore,…
Completed
2020/12
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Survey of demand for a Vienna Club Commission

KMU Forschung Austria provided its scientific expertise in a needs assessment among the members of mica (music austria) and thus supported the preparation of questionnaires, analyses and the presentation of the results. More information can be found here.
Completed
2020/09
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COVID-19: Impact on crafts and trades and adaptation measures

The study examines the way in which businesses in the crafts and trades sector are affected by the COVID-19 crisis, i.e. the degree of the drop in sales, the effects on the earnings situation of the individual trades and the uptake of…
Completed
2020/06
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Die österreichische Bauwirtschaft – Zahlen, Daten und Fakten 2020 (The Austrian construction industry – facts, figures and data 2020)

The brochure covers the main indicators of the Austrian construction industry. It includes balance sheet figures, forecasts on construction volume, company and employment structure, turnover, production value and gross value added.
Completed
2020/04
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SME 4.0

The aim of the project is to develop an informed knowledge basis with regard to digitisation for all ACR member institutes. Building on the knowledge acquired a low-threshold sector-specific service for SMEs will be developed and tested in order to advance the…
Completed
2020/03
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Kreativwirtschaftspolitisches Datenblatt (Data sheet on creative industries)

The Data Sheet on Creative Industries provides the most recent data on the Austrian creative industries each year. Figures, tables and short textual descriptions illustrate the relevance of the creative industries in direct and indirect terms. This includes the analysis of the…
Completed
2020/02
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Administrative burdens index for crafts and trades in Lower Austria

The successor study is based on the results of 2016 and analyses the changes in administrative burdens since that time. The administrative burdens index allows for a monitoring of the administrative burdens for trades and crafts in Lower Austria over a specific…
Completed
2019/12
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The Austrian Food Industry 2019

This analysis shows annual facts and figures on the situation and development in the food industry. The data are broken down by occupational groups. Both the latest available current figures and the development over time are presented.
Completed
2019/10
German Report
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Vienna Night Economy

The night economy deals with the economic activity that takes place when people go out in the evening after their daily work, education or other activities. This includes in particular visiting bars, clubs, discotheques, clubbings and other events. The study examines the…
Completed
2019/07
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) Facts and Figures

The study aims at providing players within the Austria RTI policy landscape with a decision basis for their future advancement of the portfolio of funding programmes. In particular, the study identifies players within the field of artificial intelligence (AI) in science, business…
Completed
2019/05
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Business Cycle Report Information and Consulting 2019

The business cycle report 2019 shows the economic development of the companies of the division Information and Consulting for 2018 and the outlook for 2019, based on secondary statistical data and the response from around 2,100 enterprises. The number of enterprises and employees,…
Completed
2019/03
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Industry analysis of construction-related trade 2019

This survey comprises the quarterly presentation of the economic and business cycle situation and the development of ten industries from the Austrian construction-related trade: stonemasonry, roof covering, glazing, tinsmith, pottery, painting, carpentry, building completion, timber construction and floor covering. The business cycle indicators…
Completed
2019/02
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Water Sports Business 2018

Austria's lakes and rivers provide excellent conditions for water sports of all kinds. They include "classic" leisure activities on and in the water such as sailing, diving, water skiing, canoeing or windsurfing. Additionally, the development of new trend sports is progressing rapidly.…
Completed
2019/02
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8th Report on Austrian Creative Industries

The 8th Report on Austrian Creative Industries includes the economic development of creative industries and the importance of this sector for the Austrian economy. The report further focusses the internationalsation of creative industries and provides export rates as well as motivations and…
Completed
2019/02
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Impacts of digitalisation on the training and qualification opportunities of the Public Employment Service in Lower Austria

The study analyses the effects of digitalisation and industry 4.0 on the economy on Lower Austria. The focus is on the changes with regard to (levels of) qualifications and professions that will be of special relevance in a digital economy. It will…
Completed
2019/01
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Business cycle development in retail trade 2018

Austrian Institute for SME Research results of the business cycle survey on retail trade 2018 (available only in German)
Completed
2019/01
german report
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Competitiveness of Austrian Enterprises

The national framework conditions are of high importance to maintain and strengthen the competitiveness of enterprises in an increasingly globalised and digitised economy. Against this background the study analyses, if the current framework conditions in Austria promote or hinder competitiveness of Austrian…
Completed
2018/12
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Improving Economic and Policy Knowledge in the Field of Sport-related Industries with particular Focus on the Sporting Goods Sector

This study aims to improve the economic and policy knowledge of sport-related industries, especially in the sporting goods sector. Besides an overview of the sport-related industries, it includes a definition of the sporting goods sector, a collection of economic data (based on…
Completed
2018/05
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Internet-Einzelhandel 2018 (Online Retailing 2018)

The dynamic development in online retailing has continued in recent years. More and more consumers shop via the Internet and the number of online shops from Austrian retailers increases constantly. The Austrian Institute for SME Research carried out the study “Online Retailing 2018” on behalf…
Completed
2018/04
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Austrian Entrepreneurial Index – Retail trade 2017

The Austrian Entrepreneurial Index (AEI) combines different aspects of self-employment and measures the satisfaction of entrepreneurs in an overall index consisting of 6 sub-indices with 35 sub-areas. First surveyed in a large-scale company survey in 2015, the satisfaction of around 480 retailers…
Completed
2018/02
german publication
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ICT location Vienna

This study aims to develop an up-to-date inventory of the ICT sector in Vienna and to identify opportunities to advance the region to an “innovation leader”. Methodologically, the study is based on analyses of secondary statistics, a company survey, expert interviews and…
Completed
2017/12
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Situation, Entwicklung und Zukunftsaussichten des österreichischen Gewerbe und Handwerks (Situation, development and perspectives of the Austrian crafts and trades sector)

This project develops scenarios and models regarding the perspectives of the Austrian trades and crafts sector and recommendations for stakeholders deriving economic and social policies. The Basis is the categorisation of the sections according to the development trends during the last 10 years…
Completed
2017/11
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7. Österreichischer Kreativwirtschaftsbericht (7th Report on Austrian Creative Industries)

The 7th Austrian report on creative industries presents the economic development of creative industries and the importance of this sector for the Austrian economy, especially with regard to networked structures and links to other economic sectors along the entire value chain. The…
Completed
2017/04
German publication
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Wettbewerbsfähigkeit des österreichischen Tourismus (Competitiveness of the Austrian tourism)

Apart from the positive development of overnight stays the study focusses on the sustainable competitiveness of hotels and tourism in general. It provides a comparison of the main tax frame conditions with tourism in the relevant neighbour countries and regions as well…
Completed
2017/03
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Wiener Kreativwirtschaftsbericht 2017 (Report on Creative Industries Vienna 2017)

In the Vienna Creative Industries Report 2017, the economic development of the creative industries and their significance for the Vienna are presented in a time comparison as well as regarding the differences to other Austrian regions. The potential of the Viennese creative…
Completed
2017/02
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Einzelhandel – Quo vadis? (Retail trade – quo vadis?)

Completed
2016/12
Zur Publikation
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Financing Structure and Income Situation in Information and Consulting

This analysis of the financing structure and income situation is based on about 8,000 balance sheets and 3,500 income statements of companies from the information and Consulting sector. In addition to the asset and capital structure, the cost and performance structure, business key…
Completed
2016/10
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Administrative burdens for crafts and trades in Lower Austria

This study aims at the identification and quantification of administrative burdens: Which are the recurring legal obligations that are regarded as burdens by the entrepreneurs in the trades and craft sector in Lower Austria? What is the time requirement the enterprises expect…
Completed
2016/08
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Competitiveness of Cultural and Creative Industries for Growth and Jobs

This study focusses on the analysis of the competitiveness and economic relevance of the European cultural and creative industries (CCI). It includes an overview of the most important indicators regarding the economic situation of European creative industries and analyses of the necessary…
Completed
2016/07
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ICT-competences in the context of active labour market policy

In this study PIAAC-data concerning ICT-competences are analysed. Research activities and labour market concepts in Austria and selected countries (Germany, Canada, Netherlands, Sweden and UK) are described. Furthermore, international labour market programmes and initiatives (good practices) to ameliorate these competences in Germany…
Completed
2016/03
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Creative Industries Styria 2015

In recent years, creative industries have established themselves as an important economic sector in Austria. What is more, the Austrian and Styrian economies have developed more dynamically than the economy as a whole. This study builds on the study "Creative Industries Styria…
Completed
2015/05
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eCommerce Study Austria 2024

The 15th edition of the nationwide eCommerce Study Austria 2024 provides insights into consumer behavior in distance selling. It focuses on questions about online retail spending, ordering channels, product groups, payment methods and returns. The current edition also includes a ten-year comparison.…
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Industry Analysis of Insurance Agents

The analysis by KMU Forschung Austria includes the industry structure and economic significance of the industry, the business situation and central developments of the past years. From this, future challenges and success potentials of the companies are derived, on the basis of…
Abschluss
2022/07
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E-Commerce-Study Austria 2021

The 12th edition of the “E-Commerce-Study Austria 2021” analyses the shopping behaviour of the Austrian population regarding classic mail-order business as well as internet retail-trade. The main indicators are the number of Austrians, who buy via distance selling, expenditures and the development…
Abschluss
2021/07
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Analysis of the foreign activities of management consultants

The aim of the project is to ascertain the status quo of foreign activities, the main determining factors and opportunities, as well as the requirements of Austrian management consultants. This is done on the basis of an online survey and serves as…
Abschluss
2021/06
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Structural Analysis 2021 – Focus on the Stationary Retail Trade

Structural change in the stationary retail sector has left clear traces in recent years: The number of retail stores has declined, and concentration trends have increased. The sector mix has changed: Certain sectors are losing significant commercial space (e.g. clothing retail), while…
Abschluss
2021/12
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E-Commerce study Austria (E-Commerce Studie Österreich)

The 11th edition of the “E-Commerce-Report Austria 2020” analyses the shopping behaviour of the Austrian population regarding classic mail-order business as well as internet retail-trade. The main indicators are the number of Austrians, who buy via distance selling, expenditures and the development…
Abschluss
2020/09
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Konjunkturentwicklung im Einzelhandel 2019 (Business cycle development in retail trade 2019)

Austrian Institute for SME Research results of the business cycle survey on retail trade 2018 (available only in German)
Abschluss
2020/01
german report
Asset 26

Profits and Financial Situation in Retail Trade

The analysis of the economic situation in the Austrian retail sector carried out on behalf of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber - Retail Commerce shows a deterioration in earnings and an improvement in the financial situation for the current financial year 2017/18.
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Strukturanalyse im stationären Einzelhandel 2019 (Structural Analysis of Retail 2019)

The structural analysis of stationary retail trade in Austria carried out annually on behalf of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber - Division Commerce shows a provisional halt to structural change for the analysis year 2018. Both the number of shops and the…
Abschluss
2019/06
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Asset 26

E-Commerce-Studie Österreich 2019 (E-Commerce-Survey Austria 2019)

The 10th study on consumer behaviour in distance selling commissioned by the Austrian Handelsverband confirms the trends of recent years. Both the number of buyers and the expenditure in distance selling continue to rise in the current analysis period 2019 (May 2018…
Abschluss
2019/06
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Handelsrechner (trade calculator)

The trade calculator has been developed as a free online tool for Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in trade, that allows companies to anonymously analyze their own annual financial statements simply and clearly and compare it with industry averages for SMEs. The evaluations…
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Industry Monitor

The Industry Monitor provides a quarterly basis for assessing the economic development of almost 60 sectors and enables an assessment of future trends. The detailed and comprehensive reports at industry level provide information on current developments (legal framework, demand, competition, preliminary work…
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