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Article: Medieval ways stifle in Web age: Germany wrestles with craft guilds that help hold down business formation.(World)
- Article from:
- The Christian Science Monitor
- Article date:
- June 9, 2000
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2000 The Christian Science Publishing Society. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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When ServiceMaster, a US-based disaster restoration firm, pulled out of Germany last year, it wasn't for lack of work. Fixing up after fires or floods is as lucrative here as anywhere.
The company ran into trouble because "disaster restoration" isn't on the list of trades recognized by the crafts association, a powerful - and peculiarly German - vestige of the centuries-old guild system. ServiceMaster's former general manager in Germany, Peter van der Gugten, says, "You can't fight against the crafts associations."
Tension between the New Economy and a medieval business practice revived by the Nazis is growing here. For example, you won't find teens ...