Made in Germany | Penny-Pinching

Germans are famous for being thrifty,and these days companies are no exception - - especially when it comes to personnel expenses. Some 75% of Western European companies have already made inroads into personnel costs. But the need to cut expenses even further has also affected other parts of their operations,such as costs for suppliers and delivery services.However,at some point the penny-pinching also hampers a company's opportunities. And when firms do everything they can to save money,that has an affect on the overall economy. Made in Germany looks at the pros and cons of cost-cutting measures and their potential consequences. Report by Carmen Meyer.