Dr.-Ing./ U. Cal. Markus Flik

In his presentation "Cultural fitness - the basis for top performance", Dr.-Ing./U.Cal. Markus Flik spoke about the cultural prerequisites for increasing value in the automotive supplier industry.

Behr GmbH & Co. KG is one of the leading original equipment manufacturers of engine cooling systems and air conditioning units for passenger cars and commercial vehicles, with a turnover of over 3 billion euros and more than 18,000 employees worldwide. In 1907, Julius Fr. Behr laid the foundation stone for today's group of companies with the founding of the "Süddeutsche Kühlerfabrik Julius Fr. Behr products are purchased by many well-known vehicle manufacturers, including almost all European automobile manufacturers. In addition, Behr has been expanding its business fields into new areas since 1990. Cooling and air conditioning systems for rail vehicles, ships and buses, climate control systems for building services and components for motorcycle manufacture have been added to the product portfolio. Since the early days of the company, Behr has also produced cooling systems for the aviation industry.

The automotive supply industry in Europe continues to be under high competitive and productivity pressure. Car manufacturers are passing on more and more costs and risks to the supplier industry and are relocating parts of their sites to low-wage countries, where suppliers are often forced to follow. In addition, the pressure on suppliers to innovate is increasing, as vehicle differentiation is increasingly based on technology and equipment features. The associated investment and financing requirements must be borne by the supplier companies. The consequence of these developments is an increasing number of reported company insolvencies combined with a progressive consolidation of the entire industry.

The prevailing culture of a company influences how employees and managers interact with each other and with people outside the company, such as suppliers and customers. As a management tool, corporate culture is the most powerful means of controlling the company. A positive culture creates the necessary framework for extraordinary top performance by employees and the achievement of corporate goals. In business management literature, culture is considered to have a significant influence on corporate success.

In his contribution "Cultural fitness - the basis for top performance" to the 14th Munich Management Colloquium, Mr. Markus Flik, Spokesman of the Management Board of Behr GmbH & Co. KG, will shed light on the practical significance of corporate culture for value creation and increasing the value of the company.

Status: Beginning of 2007