<p>If you had asked me four years ago how successful social business concepts would be in German companies, I would have answered very cautiously.</p><p>The Germans are justifiably known for their prudence when it comes to introducing new technologies. We are one of the nations that have thought longest and hardest about data security and protection, and are right to have done so. However, German companies have pleasantly surprised me. For Germany actually appears to be one of the leading countries in the world when it comes to adapting social business concepts or at least, that is what my experiences with many of my clients suggest.Staying Ahead with Social Business</p><p>Many companies have come to the conclusion that Germany, in particular, this land of engineers and inventors, must become a social business. German companies prosper to a large extent due to strong exports and their expertise in developing highly complex and advanced solutions.</p><p>These products need to be developed more quickly and to a higher standard than competing ones on the market to justify their cost. And, as German companies have learnt from bitter experience, cars, solar technology and machines can be copied quickly, so the only way to survive in the global marketplace is to stay one step ahead of the competition. It is no coincidence that Audi chose Vorsprung durch Technik "Progress through Technology" as its slogan and that the original German is used across the world.</p><p><a href="http://www.cmswire.com/cms/social-business/progress-through-technology-why-germany-needs-to-become-a-social-business-020127.php">Keep reading...</a></p>