Profile

Born in 1953, Paul Thomes studied English, history, and economics at the Universities of Saarbrücken in Germany and Edinburgh in the UK. He received a doctoral degree in 1984, following his dissertation on the history of the Prussian savings banks, and a post-doctoral Habilitation degree in 1992, following his work on the economy of the early modern town. Having held positions as interim professor at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt-am-Main and at RWTH Aachen University, Paul Thomes became Professor of Economic and Social History and History of Technology at the latter in 1996.

 

Research Interests

  • Structural socio-economic change and change management in an international perspective: industrialization, deindustrialization, globalization, labour markets, business cycles 16th – 20th century, mobility
  • Corporate history, particularly financial services and automotive industry
  • Social history: living conditions and life-styles; social structures; employee/employer relations; migration
 

Possible Cooperations

  • Studies about corporate history
  • Business- and policy consultancy
  • Historically based critical reflexion of economic and technological research
  • Change management and innovation management
  • Business model development in the banking industry
  • capital expenditure planning
  • Studies about consumer behavior, sustainability or technology impacts