Boss or Trainee – Who Actually Answers the Questionnaires in the ifo Business Surveys?

The ifo Business Climate Index is the most important index for the German economy. The validity of the results depends, among other things, on who completes the monthly questionnaires in the business survey. Is it the owners of the company, members of the board, the management, the department head, or is it the secretaries or the trainees? This article provides answers based on a special question asked in November and December 2018. It turns out that the majority of the questionnaires are answered by the management.