"Leadership quality as the key to greater productivity" – this was the motto of the "Practical Forum 2005" of the Department of Business at the Giessen -Friedberg University of Applied Sciences. Over 40 employees of Hessian companies participated in the Professional Development programme, which the "Association for the Promotion of Studies & Business" organized for the tenth time at the Giessen -Friedberg Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

In his welcoming address, Prof. Dr. Horst-Dieter Geuting, Dean of the Department of Economics, reviewed the various focus topics since 1996. "The Practical Forum serves as a communication platform for the exchange of information on current business administration topics," he explained, characterizing the purpose of the event. He added that this offering is very well received by the regional business community. In his greeting, Robert Malzacher, Managing Director of the Giessen -Friedberg Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), confirmed that the Practical Forum has been fulfilling an important bridging function between academia and business practitioners for a decade. 

In his opening presentation, Dr. Waldemar Pelz, Professor of International Management and Marketing at the University of Applied Sciences, presented the results of a current research project. Under the title "What can be learned from the best companies regarding the qualification of managers," he first confronted the audience with the alarming findings of a recent study. According to the study, only 13-15 percent of employees in German companies are truly engaged in their work. This, he argued, must also be understood as a consequence of inadequate leadership. He then explained what more successful companies do better in this area, focusing on the selection and further training of managers as well as on performance monitoring.    

Dr. Christian Zielke, Professor of Business Communication at the Giessen -Friedberg University of Applied Sciences, addressed the "Art of Leadership." He explained that leadership begins within; a responsible individual must first be clear about the direction in which they want to lead their employees. In his presentation, he not only discussed proven communication tools but also revealed "secrets of leadership techniques not found in any textbook.".   

The introductory presentations were followed by reports from external speakers. Stefan Bauer (Manager at Lilly Deutschland GmbH) spoke about "The Efficiency of Leadership Development" in his company. Wolfgang Kring (Managing Partner of INFO GmbH) addressed "The Best Methods for Selecting Leaders." Herbert Prötzl (Partner at Deringer Unternehmensberatung GmbH) provided "Examples from Daily Business" and informed the audience about "Current Trends in the Market for Executives.".  

Finally, the event offered participants the opportunity to discuss questions of interest in plenary and to address selected aspects of the topic of "leadership" in a collegial exchange of experiences.