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Handelsblatt Newcomer auf Englisch

Facts & Figures

89 billion e-mails are sent everyday as part of business operations. By 2016, this figure could rise to 144 billion.

This figure was calculated by researchers at the Radicati Group, which regularly col-lects statistics on e-mail usage. See also pages 2 / 3.

IT INDUSTRY How increasing connectivity is influencing the economy. PAGES 2/3

CHILDCARE Why the state pays childcare subsidies and is pushing for more day-care centres. PAGES 5

MINI JOBS Side jobs offer pu-pils more than just extra cash. PAGE 7

Michael KochInstitute of Economic Education at Oldenburg

Every weekend, over 550,000

fans file into stadiums to

watch professional football

matches around the country. The

bigger the crowds are, the more

likely it becomes that some spec-

tators will take things too far and

start a fight. Breaking up fights and

keeping order at football matches

has long been the task of police. Re-

cently though, hooligans and riots at

football matches have made their job

much harder and the media, politics

and football clubs are taking note.

The police suspect that there are

4,000 hooligans across the nation

that regularly attend football match-

es. Occasionally, clubs have to pay

fines when their fans repeatedly riot.

This past December, the Sports Court

of the German Football Federation

barred second league club Dynamo

Dresden from one season of Cup

competitions for exactly this reason.

The use of flares at football stadiums

is also generating heated discussions:

While some fans see it as part of sta-

dium culture, others view it as an un-

predictable source of danger.

Week after week, hordes of po-

lice officers are on duty at football

matches – an expensive solution.

Some estimate the cost of security

at over 115 million euros

per season. That’s a big

bill for taxpayers to foot

and this money could be

put towards other gov-

ernmental projects, such as building

schools or improving roads. That’s

why some state governments and the

German Police Union are requesting

that football clubs cover some of the

costs. One suggested solution was to

charge fans a “security surcharge” on

ticket purchases. Opponents of these

ideas counter that football matches

are major social events – no different

than a concert or folk festival, which

also enjoy police protection. There

is no reason why football clubs and

fans should be treated any differ-

ently, they argue.

But the political pressure on

the clubs and the German Football

League continues to mount. Despite

massive protests by some large fan

groups, the 36 profes-

sional clubs released

a paper on creating a

“safe stadium experi-

ence” at the end of last

year. It advocates, amongst other

things, the expansion of video sur-

veillance systems and stricter entry

checks as well as limiting the num-

ber of tickets made available to fans

of the visiting team for matches con-

sidered “high risk”.

Violence at football matches has been generating headlines lately. Police, politicians, clubs and fans all have their own ideas on how best to solve this costly problem.

Over 550,000 fans pour into

football stadiums every weekend.

Trouble at the Stadium

February 2013ISSUE 22NEWCOMER

H

www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer Photos: Ina Fassbender / Reuters / Corbis

Dieter Kempf

Professor Dieter Kempf is President of the high-tech association Bitkom.

What is the biggest advantage that infor-mation technology (IT) brings to our eve-ryday lives – both at work and at home? More than half of all employees use the in-ternet on a daily basis. Researching infor-mation independent of time and location has never been this simple. On the other hand, the advent of tablets and smart-phones means that employees are always just a call or an e-mail away. Many complain that they are no longer able to “disconnect”.

Mobile internet provides us with great freedom: We can read the news and receive messages wherever we are and whenever we want to.I caution the government against passing laws that would limit this freedom. At the same time, we need to learn how to use these new possibilities responsibly. Bosses shouldn’t expect that their e-mails will be answered immediately and employees need to learn to switch off their mobile phones and enjoy some downtime away from the office.

Machine to machine communication is a hot topic at the moment. Can you explain the basic idea behind this concept?If cars, for example, could communicate with each other, this would have some ob-vious advantages. Currently, a car can only warn of the possibility of black ice when it’s cold outside. In future, a car following an-other car could receive information about which wheels are losing traction from the car ahead. This would help the driver to know exactly when and where to expect black ice and adjust his driving accordingly.

With an increasing number of machines communicating with each other, could this make employees redundant someday?For standardised work, it is true that ma-chines will eventually make most human in-tervention unnecessary. But if we stay with the car for a moment: There will always be a need for employees that can adapt cars to the individual wants of consumers.

The interview was conducted by Susanne Metzger, Handels blatt Frankfurt. The complete interview can be read at: www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer

Q&A with:

Information technology has greatly influenced our work processes and how we exchange information. The CeBIT trade fair provides a glimpse into the future of IT.

Susanne MetzgerHandelsblatt Frankfurt

Whether setting a date with friends for coffee by e-mail, quickly buy-ing a birthday gift online for this

weekend’s party or withdrawing money from a cash machine – information tech-nology (IT) has become an essential part of our everyday life. The work-ing world has also been in-fluenced by the advance of technology: Production and work processes have un-dergone massive changes thanks to various developments in hard-ware and software over the past few years. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as IT not only helps to generate, visualise and save information, but also to process it, transmit it over long distances and make it acces-sible to many people simultaneously. At least that is how the Technical University of Aachen defines the term “information

technology”.Because IT

has so thoroughly saturated our lives and workplaces, many countries now consider it one of the most

important technologies. In 2012, sales of IT products in Germany were estimated at 72.8 billion euros by the industry as-sociation Bitkom. If one includes telecom-munications and entertainment devices, the ICT (information and communications technologies) industry accounted for sales of 152 billion euros in 2012. This industry employs a total of about 886,000 people.

The largest German IT company is SAP based in Walldorf. It de-velops and sells software for companies that want to simplify their business processes – from purchas-ing to sales and even con-

trolling (see cheat sheet, page 8). The slight-ly smaller company, Software AG, also specialises in serving business customers.

But the biggest players in the global IT industry are based in the US. IBM, for ex-ample, offers IT services to business cus-tomers around the world while Microsoft is primarily known for its Windows operating system and Office software. Alongside of its

IT companies post sales of approximate-ly 73 billion euros per

year in Germany.

A Networked World

HANDELSBLATT FOcuS February 2013, ISSUE 22H2

Photos: Bitkom; Tim Pannell; Charles Pertwee; Bernd Vogel; Sven Hagolani / Corbis www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer

Have you ever thought about developing the next big app or programme? Pro-

gramming is just one of the diverse skills that an IT profes-sional can specialise in. Some IT jobs focus on processing data and information, while others place an emphasis on developing hardware and software solutions according to customer demands, creating programmes to solve new problems or maintaining systems. But IT professionals

don’t just sit in front of their PCs all day. Many also work as advi-sors, discussing and analysing various issues with customers and employers.One way to get started in this occupation is to take an appren-ticeship as an IT specialist. Many universities also offer degree programmes in the field of com-puter science/IT. Choosing a field to specialise in at an early stage is highly recommended – for exam-ple in media or IT security.Good math skills, diligence and flexibility are just as relevant for

this occupation as an openness for new technologies. Due to the rapid development of this field, IT specialists (see cheat sheet, page 8) are currently in high de-mand – and it’s not just the ma-jor IT corporations like Google, Apple, SAP and Co. that are try-ing to attract these specialists: Employers in every industry are in need of qualified IT profes-sionals.

You can find more information on this occupation at:www.einstieg-informatik.de

Jasmin FresemannInstitute of Economic Education at Oldenburg

Data, Information, Knowledge

IT PrOfEssIONAl

popular iPhone, Ap-ple also offers prod-ucts like the iPad and various Mac comput-

ers. Hewlett-Packard (HP) serves the market

with a comprehensive product range that includes PCs, printers and data processing services. Competi-tion from Asia has been catching up with the Americans over the past few years. The

Chinese company Lenovo, for exam-ple, is achieving sales rivalling those of HP according to the figures released by the market research institute Gartner. Globally, the ICT industry generated sales of 2.57 trillion euros in 2012 ac-cording to Bitkom data.

The most impor-tant international meeting for this in-dustry, CeBIT, will take place from 5 – 9 March. Every spring, major IT companies come to Hanover for the world’s largest IT trade fair. This year, the motto for CeBIT is the “ Sh a re conomy ”. This is basically re-ferring to the idea

that an increasing number of people are collecting knowledge and contacts not just for themselves, but also to share over the internet. The rising popularity of smart-phones and tablets only strengthens this trend. Today, 44 percent of internet users share their experiences with products and services on the web, according to a Bitkom survey. A similar percentage also shares their vacation photos online.

Sharing content over the internet is still primarily limited to the private sec-tor, new possibilities are opening up for companies as well: While many com-panies previously spent most of their time trying to ensure that their data is secure, the sharing mentality is opening up new formats for cooperation. At the same time, requirements on IT are con-stantly growing due to the ever-increas-ing volumes of data being generated and shared. Faster networks and secure in-frastructures are of greater importance than ever and keeping up with these de-velopments and demands is giving the IT industry and its employees plenty of new challenges to solve.

The rise in digitalisation has an im-pact beyond the ICT industry – it also brings plenty of changes for industrial companies as well. This is especially no-table in the increasing connectivity be-tween vehicles, machines and production systems. The boundaries between the

real and digital worlds are being increas-ingly blurred. With so-called machine-to-machine communication (M2M), compa-nies can more quickly react to changes in the market environment (see also Inter-view, page 2). For example if lorries auto-matically transmit vehicle data to a cen-tral server, forwarding companies can more efficiently manage their f leets. Vending machines that inform a central computer when they need to be refilled save their opera-tors time they previously spent manually checking their machines.

Experts see these developments as the fourth industrial revolution – the suc-cessor to the steam engine, assembly line and computer.

IT Specialist (Apprentice)

That’s the pupils’ view

You said it:“Many people are ad-dicted to their mobile phones.” Emely, Year 12

February 2013, ISSUE 22H HANDELSBLATT FOcuS 3

www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer Caricature: Melina Maurer; Foto: A. Chederros / Onoky; NASA; Helen King / Corbis

Expensive Advertising

Source: Kantar Media in million US dollars

Prices for a 30 second commercial during the Oscar award ceremony on American TV.

0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1,0 1,2 1,4 1,6

1,55

1,4

1,31

2011

2010

2009

Volker Wieland

You said it:“Even being nominated for an Oscar gives actors and film-makers a finan-cial lift.” Yannoh, Year 10

Beate FaulbornInstitute of Economic Education at Oldenburg

Even the name of the trophy is shrouded in

myths. Film star Bette Davis supposedly

said in the 1930s that the figure was mod-

elled after her husband Oscar. The name was reg-

ularly used during the 1930s, for example when

animation producer Walt Disney thanked the

Academy for his “Oscar”. The title became official

in 1939. Nowadays, the golden statue is viewed as

the most important award in the international

film industry. It no longer simply stands for artis-

tic fame and renown, but financial success as well.

The Oscars are awarded by the Ameri-

can-based Academy of Motion Pictures Arts

and Sciences, which consists of 6,000 people

from various fields within the film industry.

Only films that meet the following criteria are

eligible for nomination: They must have been

released within the past year and they must

have been shown at least seven days at a public

theatre charging admission in the Los Angeles

County region.

The award gala is broadcast live in

over 200 countries. This year, the show

will be moderated by comedian Seth Mac-

Farlane, who is known as the creator of

the animated comedy series “American

Dad” amongst other successful shows.

Many companies are interested in the

event due to its advertising potential. The price

for commercial time during the show is accord-

ingly high (see chart). What the various actors

and actresses wear to the gala has also become

a major focus. Designers try everything to get

the nominees to wear their creations in front of

the huge television audience.

Along with free designer clothing, award

winners can also look forward to an increased

level of fame. Oscar winners generally earn bet-

ter salaries for their work and are offered more

advertising opportunities. Films that win an Os-

car are shown at special screenings, publicised

with major marketing campaigns and generally

purchased in higher volumes. According to esti-

mates, studios enjoy an average sales boost of 20

percent on films that win the award.

Nadine HüllbrockInstitute of Economic Education at Oldenburg

In March, the Economics pro-fessor Volker Wieland will be-

come Germany’s 39th “econo-mic wise man”. He will become a member of the German Council of Economic Experts – the of-ficial title of this group of eco-nomic sages. The panel of five in-dependent experts has provided

the federal government with ad-vice and estimates on the coun-try’s economic d e v e l o p m e n t since 1963.

But what qualifies these experts for duty as “economic wise men”? Ex-tensive knowl-edge on a wide range of eco-nomic topics and experience

in the field of macroeconomics are the main requirements for

the position. The eco-nomic sages have to examine what keeps prices stable, what provides work for the population or what makes the economy grow for example.

Every now and then, they make unpopular predic-tions and suggestions.

When the time comes to select a new economic wise man, the Ministry of Economics suggests suitable candidates to the Fed-eral Chancellery, and the Federal President makes the official se-lection. Volker Wieland, a profes-sor at the University of Frankfurt who researches the role money plays throughout the world, will replace the economist Wolfgang Franz. Wieland will become a member for a five year term.

The New Economic “Wise Man”

And the Oscar goes to…On February 24, the world’s most prestigious film award will be presented in Hollywood for the 85th time. The small statue has a reputation for playing a major economic role.

PROFILE February 2013, ISSUE 22H4

Photos: ©A.M.P.A.S.® ; Pressebild www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer

COMMENT superfluous support

Barbara Gillmann Handelsblatt Berlin

The state is building nursery schools and financing a major portion of their equipment and personnel. This is good, as nursery schools are a sensible and necessary option for everyone: First of all, children learn

a lot at nursery schools, and sec-ondly, it allows parents to continue to work. Parents pay a fee to send their chil-dren to a nursery school. This mon-ey is saved by parents that care for their children at home. When these families start receiving the childcare subsidy in August, they will basically be receiving money for not using a public facility – the nursery school. This makes about as much sense as

allowing people to ask for money when they don’t go to the com-munity pool, never walk through public parks or swing at a public playground.As if that weren’t enough, the Ger-man government is already in plenty of debt and has no room in its budget for the childcare subsidy. That’s why this financial incentive is a pure waste of money.The childcare subsidy could even be

damaging in certain cases. Children that don’t go to nursery schools could have problems in primary school because they don’t learn as much from their parents as they would from nursery school teach-ers and their interactions with other children. It could also result in men asking women to stay home in or-der to receive money from the state, even though the women would rather work and earn some money.

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The state is currently invest-ing a great deal of money into childcare. It hopes to help ease a couple’s choice to have a baby.

Barbara GillmannHandelsblatt Berlin

The childcare subsidy is finally com-ing. After many long debates, the German federal government has de-

cided that parents with children between the ages of one and three that do not at-tend a publicly funded nursery school will receive 100 euros per month from the state starting 1 August. In January 2014, the amount is to be increased to 150 euros per month. One reason behind this decision is that the government won’t be able to cre-ate enough nursery schools by August.

The reason this is important is tied to another new regula-

tion: With

the start of the new school year in August, parents will have a legal right to send their children to a nursery school. Cities and lo-cal governments are responsible for pro-viding sufficient nursery schools for local children. According to recent estimates, Germany will still need to create an ad-ditional 220,000 nursery school spots by this autumn. The new law also allows par-ents to request damages from the city if they request a spot and are denied.

Overall, the expansion of nursery schools will cost about twelve billion eu-ros. The government will also have to hand out up to another two billion euros for the childcare subsidy, depending on how many parents apply for it. The state is making these investments in order to give parents a free choice between staying home after the birth of a child or going back to work as soon as possible. Many mothers would like to quickly return to their jobs after giv-

ing birth. This is often not possible due to a lack of childcare options and this is

especially difficult for single parents.The government now hopes

that more couples

will decide to have children as childcare becomes readily available. The birth rate in Germany has been dropping for years (see chart). With the population becoming increasingly older on average, our society could be facing some enormous problems in future if something doesn’t change. There is already a lack of specialists (see cheat sheet, page 8), which is having an impact on the economy. Additionally, the money for pensions could run short if there are fewer people working than the amount of people receiving pensions. This is due to the way in which German social policies (see cheat sheet, page 8) regulate pensions: Employees finance a portion of the pensions for older generations with their wages.

Some politicians would have preferred to spend the money being spent on the childcare subsidy on building more nursery schools instead. They fear that some chil-dren will be sent to nursery schools later due to the childcare subsidy. Such children could have problems in primary school, particularly if their parents do not speak German at home or don’t read to them.

Children Wanted

852 359

662 7121946 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2011

1 001 571Deaths

921 677Births

Birth surplus

Birth deficit

February 2013, ISSUE 22H cOMPANIES AND MARKETS 5

www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer Photos: Pablo Castagnola

Many companies are currently investing into so-called efficient technologies. This includes, for instance, energy-saving lighting and building enhancements that minimise heat loss. This involves initial costs and it can take sever-al years before the investments pay off. Nevertheless there are good reasons for investing:

Why do companies want to save energy? Companies generally pursue economic, social and ecological

goals. Economic goals include such things as cost-effective work processes or making a profit. A social goal would be the preservation of jobs for in-stance. And the most important ecological goal is environmental protection.By investing into energy-saving measures, companies meet all three objectives. The use of ef-ficient technologies protects the environment. It also helps com-panies save on energy expenses, which makes their work more

cost-effective in the long-term. And a more efficient company is a more stable company, which means greater job security – ful-filling the social responsibility. As an added bonus, the compa-ny’s image also improves, since the public is very interested in how companies are participating in the energy transition.

Is it important for all companies to save energy? All companies and consumers have an interest in saving en-

ergy. But this topic is of special importance to industrial sectors that require huge amounts of energy, for example the paper or steel industry. These indus-tries have a conflict of interest between high production levels and low energy consumption. These companies have to decide on a case by case basis what takes precedence.

Maren Kienaß Institute of Economic Education at Oldenburg

WHAT DOEs THAT MEAN?

An energy balance is kept by com-panies in order to keep track of their energy expenses. The companies use this information to check for areas of potential savings and to decide if it’s worth making an investment into ef-ficiency measures.

Energy transition: Significant changes are taking place regarding our en-ergy supply at the moment. The en-ergy transition focuses on three main points: 1. Closing nuclear power sta-tions. 2. Increasing the amount of en-ergy gained from renewable energy sources such as the sun, water and wind. 3. Increasing energy efficiency. The energy transition is a major chal-lenge.

The Renewable Energy Actstipulates that energy generated by wind or solar power plants has pri-ority when being fed into the pub-lic power grid and guarantees fixed payments to producers of renewable energy.

A Handelsblatt article explained

Companies Work to Improve Their Energy Balance

Malte LaubHandelsblatt, 6.12.2012

Energy efficient production is “in”: Accord-ing to a Deutsche Bank survey, a third of all medium-sized companies are plan-

ning to invest into energy-saving measures in the next twelve months. Two-thirds of the com-panies surveyed plan to increase their invest-ments into efficiency measures at some point within the next five years.

The energy transition and the Renewa-ble Energy Act led many medium-sized com-panies to take action, says Sabine Tieves, an expert from the Deutsche Bank: “With energy prices rising significantly, there is now a clear economic incentive for investing into energy-saving technolo-gies and for enhancing the efficiency of company buildings.” According to their estimates, medium-sized com-panies can save 15 to 30 percent on their energy expenses with

these measures. But it can take a while before the changes become a competitive advantage. “A company doesn’t automatically gain clients simply because it starts operating in a more en-ergy efficient or environmentally friendly man-ner,” says Stefan Hartleff, Managing Director of the energy consulting firm “Plan Energie”. “A supermarket doesn’t sell more just because it has converted to energy efficient lighting.” […]

At some point, these investments into new machines and energy-saving measures will pay off thanks to lower power consumption, but until then, patience is needed. And as Marc

Griggel, Board Member for Pro-duction at the sanitary fittings

manufacturer Hansgro-he, explains: “We

wouldn’t take these meas-ures if they

weren’t prof i t-able for us as a c o m -pany.”

HANDELSBLATT EXPLAINED February 2013, ISSUE 22H6

Photo: Ikon Images / Corbis www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer

Luca Schüler

Wir wollen euch kennenlernen! Berichtet uns doch etwas über eure Schule, schreibt einen Leserbrief, kommentiert die Artikel oder postet eure Meinung auf Facebook. Hier könnt ihr euch auch untereinander austauschen. Eure Ideen sind jederzeit willkommen: www.facebook.com/handelsblattmachtschule oder hb.schule@vhb.de

sagt uns eure Meinung

Yannoh Mügge

The income limit for mini-jobs has been raised. This is good news for pupils – and not just for their bank accounts.

Luca Schüler (Jahrgang 11) Altes Gymnasium Oldenburg

Alot of pupils would like to earn some additional money to supplement what they receive from their par-

ents. That’s why some try to find a mini-job, provided that it won’t interfere with their academic performance. Since the start of this year, it is possible to earn 450 EUR at a mini-job without having to pay taxes or so-cial welfare contributions (see cheat sheet, page 8). The income limit used to be set at 400 EUR until the end of 2012.

But a mini-job also offers pupils many more advantages than extra pocket money: Those who get an early start in the working world generally have an easier time decid-ing what career they would like to pursue later on. Pupils working as servers in a res-taurant, for example, quickly discover how well they cope with stress and whether or not they enjoy exten-sive contact with custom-ers. Someone working at a clothes shop, on the other hand, will quickly find out if they have a knack for sales.At the end of employment, workers can ask for a letter of recommendation from their employer, which can come in handy for future appli-

cations. A mini-job can therefore be very helpful when it comes to establishing con-tact with companies and gaining an advan-tage over other applicants. Under certain conditions, pupils can already apply for some mini-jobs at the age of 13. Prior to ac-cepting a job, one should always get clear information on what tasks the mini-job in-cludes and what exactly will be expected. The job should always leave sufficient time for school and any other set responsibilities.

Further information is available at: www.minijob-zentrale.de

A Mini-job Has Many Advantages

All-day Schools – A Bad Idea?Yannoh Mügge (Jahrgang 10)Helene-Lange-Schule Oldenburg

Eight am: The start of a school day some-where in Germany. The first lesson be-

gins. It all seems so familiar and yet there is something different here: The pupils stay at this school until late in the after-noon every day. They attend a so-called all-day school, just like I do. Some people in Germany find this type of school a bad idea.

Opponents of the all-day school concept often criticize the high amount of time that pupils spend at school. They have to sit still and concentrate long-er, which supposedly is very stressful, both physically and men-tally. And, according to the critics, there is no time left for family, friends, music

lessons and sports clubs after school.But, I wonder, do family and friends

really have time in the afternoon? While I can’t speak for everyone, I can

tell you how it is in my experience. At the moment we have lessons both in the morn-ing and in the afternoon at least three

days per week. Despite this schedule, I still have enough time for my hob-bies, my sports club and meeting with friends after school. How is this possible? We usually fin-ish our “homework” dur-ing the so-called work and exercise lessons un-der the supervision of a teacher.

It is now 4 pm at the all-day school somewhere in Germany. School is out. The pupils head off to their next destina-

tions: football training, piano lessons, meeting up with friends or simply home. There is rarely any homework left to do. In the meantime, most pupils from half-day schools have been sitting alone in front of their books since 2pm in order to get ready for the next day.

But there is one thing that both types of school have in common: All pupils still have to work on memorising those pesky vocabulary terms after school!

February 2013, ISSUE 22H STuDENT JOuRNALISTS 7

www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer Photos: privat; Jeffrey Coolidge / Corbis

VocabularyENgLISCH DEUTSCH

to be barred from sth. ausgeschlossen sein von etw.

flares bengalisches Feuer

to foot the bill zahlen für etw. / die Zeche zahlen

to advocate sth. etw. befürworten

adventEinzug

black ice Glatteis

trillion Billion

impact hier Auswirkung

forwarding companies Spediteure

fleet Flotte

vending machine Verkaufsautomat

diligenceSorgfalt

prestigious angesehen

to be shrouded in myths sagenumwoben

ENgLISCH DEUTSCH

renown Ruhm

nominees Anwärter

sage Weise

damages Schadenersatz

public facility staatliche Einrichtung

surveyed befragt

to enhance sth. etw. verbessern

to stipulate sth. etw. vorschreiben

power plant Kraftwerk

power grid Stromnetz

to have a knack for sth. ein Talent für etw. haben

sufficient ausreichend

pesky lästigen

economically disadvantaged

wirtschaftlich benachteiligte Personen

to shape the news die Nachrichten / das Geschehen prägen

Controlling, page 2 The term means to manage or supervise. The controlling department keeps track of a company’s entire income and expenses and analyses them. This data is then used to detect possible financial problems and estimate future costs.

Specialists, pages 3, 5 Generally, specialists are people that have finished their occupational training and have extensive expertise in their field of work. Germany is currently in need of ad-ditional specialists, particularly in the MINT subjects (maths, IT, natural sciences and technology) as well as in the healthcare sector, where there are more positions available than qualified workers to fill them.

Social policies, page 5 We live in a welfare or social state. This means that the state assumes responsibil-ity for maintaining social justice and en-suring adequate living conditions for its citizens. Social policies seek to protect citi-zens from poverty and improve the condi-tions of the economically disadvantaged. If someone retires or loses their job, these people are protected by the so-called safety net, which is established by these various policies.

Social welfare contributions, page 7 Contributions are payments that citizens make to the state in return for some kind of service. This includes payments like the fees that one pays when renting a DVD from a public library or those that are paid for the weekly rubbishcollection. Most jobs also require the payment of social welfare contributions. Both employers and em-ployees pay contributions for the com-pulsory insurances. These include health insurance, pension insurance and unem-ployment insurance.

Cheat SheetAn overview of the mostimportant words and phrasesfrom this issue

Dieter Fockenbrock (Chefkorrespondent Handels-blatt) und Hans Kaminski (Direktor IÖB)

Dear readers,

A new semester has begun and the Handels-blatt Newcomer is celebrating a special mile-stone. The economics-focused newsletter for pupils has now existed for five years as part of the project “Handelsblatt goes to School”. Our 25th edition will appear this autumn. Of course, we will continue to focus on ex-citing (economic) topics that are currently shaping the news. In this edition, we offer some food for thought with our coverage on the discussion surrounding violence at football matches (page 1) while also report-ing on some pleasing developments, such as the increasing investments in energy-saving measures (page 6). We also take a closer look at the Oscars (page 6) and analyse it from an economic perspective. We hope you enjoy this edition of the Handelsblatt Newcomer and wish you a successful start to the second half of the school year!

ImpressumHerausgeber: Dieter Fockenbrock, V.i.S.d.P. (Handelsblatt) und Hans Kaminski (Institut für Ökonomische Bildung, Uni Oldenburg)Redaktion: Melanie RübartschKonzept: Katrin Eggert, Dieter Fockenbrock, Hans Kaminski, Michael Koch Art Director: Stefan Vieten Koordination: Maren Kienaß, Melanie RübartschLayout und Fotos: Sandra Janzsó, Corinna ThielHandelsblatt Newcomer-Online: Eva Erb-SchulzeMarketing und Vertrieb: Elisabeth AlbersEnglische Übersetzung: John Dalbey für PONS GmbHVerlag: Handelsblatt GmbH Geschäftsführung: Gabor Steingart (Vorsitzender), Jörg Mertens, Claudia MichalskiKasernenstr. 67, 40213 Düsseldorf Tel.: +49 (0) 211-887-0Druck: kuncke druck GmbH, Kornkamp 24, 22926 AhrensburgMitarbeiter dieser Ausgabe: Lehrer und Schüler des Alten Gymnasiums und der Helene-Lange-Schule Oldenburg (Ortrud Reuter-Kaminski, Emely Bagge, Tanja Bohle, Martha Heeke, Anton Herrschel, Jonas Klusmann, Lena Matthes, Melina Maurer, Yannoh Mügge, Lea Schönborn, Luca Schüler) Fragen und Feedback: hb.schule@vhb.de oder über Facebook (www.facebook.com/handelsblatt-machtschule). Für Unternehmen mit Interesse an einer Partnerschaft: hb.schule@vhb.de Handelsblatt Newcomer erscheint alle zwei Monate.Sie als Lehrkraft können Handelsblatt Newcomer für Ihre Schüler kostenlos bestellen: www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer

Bildmaterial mitfreundlicher Unterstützung von:

Programme mitfreundlicher Unterstützung von:

FuN & FAcTS February 2013, ISSUE 22H8

Photos: Judith Wagner/Handelsblatt; Institut für Ökonomische Bildung www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer