How German firms fight the slump
With the increased pressure of globalization, German firms are forced to make a difficult decision: adapt to global workforce flexibility, or become so specialized that international competition does not affect German companies. Flexibility implies moving work east to countries like Poland, while specialization is predicated on a highly skilled workforce, which some companies may not have.
See "How German firms fight the slump", Tim Weber, BBC News Online, September 6, 2005