The German business enterprise sector: Career paths in research and development (R&D)

Abstract

This contribution discusses aspects of career paths in research and development (R&D) in the business enterprise sector in Germany. Women are underrepresented in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and this is especially true for the business enterprise sector in European countries (European Commission 2013a). Germany is one of the most robust economies in the European Union and performs well in terms of research and innovation. The country has high scores on both input (such as R&D human resources) and output (such as patents) factors (BMBF 2012; European Commission 2013b: 108-117; European Commission 2003b; cf. Figures 1 and 2).