Reuters insight: Turmoil at Thyssenkrupp marks battle for Germany’s economic identity

Reuters offered insight into how the announcement by Thyssenkrupp CEO Guido Kerkhoff of plans to list its prized elevators unit set off a battle for the conglomerate’s future that could test Germany’s brand of “social market” capitalism. Now Thyssenkrupp’s future is in play, with activist investors on the one side baying for a restructuring of the group to drive up value, and its top shareholder – the charitable Krupp foundation – and workers on the other side with a mandate to protect the unity of the company and jobs.