ABSTRACT

Introduction of Heidelberg and the research question Heidelberg is not only one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. It is also the name of a globally successful technology-driven company, which has been a worldwide partner to the print media industry for more than 160 years by delivering high-tech printing machines: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG. Heidelberg combines precision mechanical engineering and integrated software development with a customer-centered marketing approach on a worldwide basis. It has a workforce of around 16,000 employees. Heidelberg’s 250 support centers in 170 countries, and team of over 5,000 sales staff, 3,200 of which are service technicians, guarantees the most comprehensive sales and service network in the entire industry. Heidelberg generates 85 percent of its sales through its own sales channels and achieves around 87 percent of its sales abroad. In the last fiscal year (2010/11) it reached a turnover of 2.6 billion Euros (Nuneva, 2011c, pp. 5, 26f.; Schreier, 2012, p. 33). Heidelberg is the undisputed global market leader of sheet-fed printing machines production (N. A., 2010a, p. 13).