Switzerland

Switzerland

Part # 1 Some places in Switzerland

The 5 largest cities in Switzerland City ZĂźrich Geneva Basel Bern Lausanne

Number of people living there 340,000 people.

185,000 people.

165,000 people.

120,000 people.

115,000 people.

http://www.geonames.org/CH/largest-cities-in-switzerland.html

Images of Switzerland

https://vimeo.com/101531805

Lucerne

https://youtu.be/QQjAhAg8urQ

Montreux and Vevey

https://vimeo.com/175275823

Further inspiration

https://www.youtube.com/user/voilamasuisse/videos

Part # 2 Swiss languages

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Map_Languages_CH.png

Examples of Swiss German words Exgüsi / sorri = Excuse me / sorry.

Grüezi = Hello.

Guetsli = Biscuits.

Handy / Natel = Mobile phone / Smartphone.

Herdöpfel = Potatoes.

Hoi = Hello.

Luege = Look.

Poulet = Chicken.

Rüebli = Carrot.

Schoggi = Chocolate.

Trottoir = Sidewalk / Walkway.

Velo = Bicycle.

Part # 3 People who live in Switzerland

More than 8 million people live in Switzerland.

The country of origin for about 25% of people living in Switzerland is another country than Switzerland. http://www.bk.admin.ch/dokumentation/02070/index.html

The countries of origin of about half of the players on the Swiss national football team are other countries than Switzerland.

Sources https://www.bfm.admin.ch//content/dam/data/bfm/broschuere-bfm-d.pdf http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schweizer_Fussballnationalmannschaft

Kariem Hussein.

His father grew up in Cairo, Egypt. His mother grew up in Tägerwilen, Switzerland.

http://kariem.ch/

Mujinga Kambundji.

Her father comes from Congo, and her mother comes from Bern, Switzerland. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mujinga-Kambundji/1429621130606549

A story about Yvonne Apiyo Brändle-Amolo.

http://webreportagen.beobachter.ch/bruchtum/

Mainly thanks to migration, the population of Switzerland will increase from 7.8 million permanent residents at the end of 2009 to 9 million in 2060.

The proportion of people aged 65 or over will increase from 17% today to more than 28% at the end of 2060. http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/news/medienmitteilungen.Document.132630.pdf

Income differences across Switzerland Geneva Basel ZĂźrich

Bern St. Gallen

Thun

http://blog.tagesanzeiger.ch/datenblog/index.php/1288/wo-die-grossverdiener-wohnen

Part # 4 Swiss people who live outside Switzerland

More than 700,000 Swiss people, i.e. about 10% of the population, live in countries outside Switzerland.

Sources http://aso.ch/en/information/statistics http://www.swissemigration.ch/eda/en/home/serv/swiabr/swissa.html

http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/01/02/blank/key/schweizer_im_ausland.html

Where do the 700,000 Swiss people, who live outside Switzerland, live?

Where do the 700,000 Swiss people, who live outside Switzerland, live?

Place

Percentage

France

26%

Germany

11%

USA

11%

Italy

7%

Canada UK Australia

5.5% 4% 3.5%

Spain

3%

Brazil

2%

Austria

2%

Israel

2%

New Zealand

1%

Thailand

1%

Belgium

1%

China

0.5%

Denmark

0.5%

http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/01/02/blank/key/schweizer_im_ausland.html

3,200 Swiss people live in Denmark. http://dkch.info/ https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/fdfa/representations-and-travel-advice/denmark/switzerland-denmark.html

Part # 5 Medium power distance in Switzerland

Swiss culture

Power distance

Individualism

http://geert-hofstede.com/switzerland.html

Masculinity

Uncertainty avoidance

The decision of Napoleon to withdraw the French troops from Switzerland in July 1802 gave the signal to the partisans of federalism: On August 1st, 1802 the citizens of Schwyz, Nidwalden, Obwalden met for the "Landsgemeinde".

Napoleon had understood that centralistic state had no chance to be accepted in Switzerland. Therefore the constitution elaborated by his mediation gave most of the competencies to the 19 cantons of the new Swiss federation. http://history-switzerland.geschichte-schweiz.ch/swiss-revolution-helvetic-republic-1798.html

Im Gegensatz zu fast allen Ländern der Welt entstand die Schweiz in den Dörfern und Tälern und Städten: von unten nach oben.

Kein Monarch arrondierte sein Gebiet, kein Zentralstaat trieb die Untertanen zusammen.

Die Seele der Schweiz. Die Weltwoche, Nummer 2, 2008.

Formal population involvement in voting is strong

http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/pore/va/vab_1_3_3_1.html

Less than 50% of people, who are allowed to vote, vote.

http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/17/03/blank/key/stimmbeteiligung.html

Elections in Zürich in 2010  33% of people under the age of 30 voted.  70% of men aged 80 voted. http://www.nzz.ch/zuerich/zhwahl15/die-jungen-lassen-lieber-die-alten-waehlen-1.18519640

Part # 6 High individualism in Switzerland

Switzerland scores relatively high on individualism

Power distance

Individualism

http://geert-hofstede.com/switzerland.html

Masculinity

Uncertainty avoidance

Switzerland is outside the EU

Switzerland is a member neither of the EU nor of the looser European Economic Area (EEA) that includes Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

Nevertheless, a web of more than 100 bilateral treaties binds the Swiss tightly into the “4 freedoms” of movement underpinning the EU’s single market: Freedom of goods, services, people and capital. http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21596567-referendum-europes-freedom-movement-will-have-big-consequences-switzerlands-crossbow

No matter what I did, I could not seem to get information flowing, especially laterally across divisional, functional, or geographical boundaries.

Schein, Edgar: Organizational Culture and Leadership.

Experiences working for the Ciba-Geigy company.

I eventually discoved that there was a strong shared assumption that each

manager’s job was his or her private turf, not to be infringed on.

Schein, Edgar: Organizational Culture and Leadership.

Experiences working for the Ciba-Geigy company.

Der Schweizer mag es nicht, wenn sein Nachbar zu nahe kommt.

Mr. Jacques Herzog

http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/web-tv/standpunkte/sendungen_1.2166738.html?video=1.12942647, minute 17.

Part # 7 High masculinity in Switzerland

Switzerland scores relatively high on masculinity

Power distance

Individualism

http://geert-hofstede.com/switzerland.html

Masculinity

Uncertainty avoidance

In 1971, women are allowed to vote at Swiss elections.

Sources http://demokratie.geschichte-schweiz.ch/chronologie-frauenstimmrecht-schweiz.html http://www.swissworld.org/en/people/women/the_right_to_vote/ http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/suffrage.htm

In 1990, women living in Appenzell Inner Rhoden were allowed to also vote at local and cantonal level.

The men of Appenzell Inner Rhoden had denied their mothers, sisters and daughters voting rights in 1973, 1982 and April 1990. In 1990, women brought a legal action before the Federal Court in Lausanne saying the situation was unconstitutional. On November 27, 1990, the court agreed, overruling the canton. http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/women-s-suffrage_inner-rhoden-women-celebrate-25-years-of-the-vote/41802282

Women are still underrepresented in Appenzell Inner Rhoden’s 7-person executive body.

The first female member ever was Ruth Metzler, who was elected to the executive body in 1996. The 2nd female member ever is Antonia Fässler. http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/women-s-suffrage_inner-rhoden-women-celebrate-25-years-of-the-vote/41802282

Women earn much less than men for similar work

http://reports.weforum.org/global-gender-gap-report-2013/

In Switzerland, mothers invest twice as many hours per week in household work as fathers do

http://www.nzz.ch/muetter-arbeiten-doppelt-so-viel-wie-vaeter-1.18180452

Further inspiration http://www.slideshare.net/frankcalberg/gender-diversity-9869793

Part # 8 Strong uncertainty avoidance in Switzerland

Switzerland scores relatively high on uncertainty avoidance

Power distance

Individualism

http://geert-hofstede.com/switzerland.html

Masculinity

Uncertainty avoidance

The Swiss, even more time and regulation dominated [than Germans], made precision a national symbol.

This applies to the watch industry, the optical instruments, the pharmaceutical products, and to banking. In addition, planes, buses and trains leave on the dot. Accordingly, everything can be exactly calculated and predicted. http://www.businessinsider.com/how-different-cultures-understand-time-2014-5

http://frankcalberg.blogspot.com/2009/06/example-of-order-in-switzerland.html

Attention to detail

At Ciba-Geigy, everything was planned to the level of the smallest detail.

I had to provide a plan that showed virtually minute by minute what would happen during the 2 days, and the company was clearly willing to commit all the time it might take to design as nearly perfect a meeting as possible.

Schein, Edgar H.: Organizational Culture and Leadership, p. 367-368.

German-speaking Switzerland Could be characterized as a well-oiled machine.

French-speaking Switzerland Could be characterized by hierarchy and an impersonal bureaucracy.

Empirical assessment of Geert Hofstede. http://www.unisg.ch/www/edis.nsf/wwwDisplayIdentifier/2787/$FILE/dis2787.pdf , p. 140.

The swiss agriculture is heavily protected.

The surrounding farms in Austria, Bavaria or northern Italy have the same climatic and geographic conditions, but are bigger and more productive with half the prices.

http://cdh.epfl.ch/files/content/sites/cdh/files/shared/docs_ch/B.%20Kappeler%20Economy%20I.pdf

German culture is extremely protective of privacy and private information.

http://www.managementexchange.com/story/roche-oversight-insight

In 2006, Switzerland had about 300,000 nuclear shelters in homes, institutions and hospitals as well as 5,100 public shelters. They provide protection for 8.6 million people – more than the size of the total population. That is world record.

The annual costs for the construction, maintenance and demolition of the shelters amounted to CHF 167.4 million in 2006. Of this, CHF 128.2 million were borne by private persons, CHF 23.5 million by the communes, CHF 9.8 million by the Confederation, and 4.2 million by the cantons.

The total value of the shelters is CHF 11.8 billion. http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/prepared-for-anything_bunkers-for-all/995134

Die Schweizer Unternehmen haben enorm Angst zu zeigen, dass sie gewisse Parteien unterstĂźtzen.

Woher diese Angst kommt, kann ich nicht erklären.

http://www.20min.ch/schweiz/news/story/11576227

Delphine Centlivres.

Transparency International.

http://www.nzz.ch/aktuell/schweiz/europapolitische-risiken-in-kauf-genommen-1.18276614

A relatively high number of people aged 50 to 59 years of age voted yes to the 2014 referendum “Gegen Masseneinwanderung�.

A relatively high number of people with little education and low income voted yes to the 2014 referendum “Gegen Masseneinwanderung�.

http://www.nzz.ch/aktuell/schweiz/europapolitische-risiken-in-kauf-genommen-1.18276614

A relatively high number of people living in the countryside and in the Italian part of Switzerland voted yes to the 2014 referendum “Gegen Masseneinwanderung�.

http://www.nzz.ch/aktuell/schweiz/europapolitische-risiken-in-kauf-genommen-1.18276614

Weshalb hat beispielsweise der Kanton Schwyz die Initiative mit grosser Mehrheit angenommen, obschon er mit einem verhältnismässig geringen Ausländeranteil nicht übermässig von der Einwanderung betroffen ist?

Christian Schmid.

Professor.

Die Angst vor Veränderung hat hier eine sehr viel grössere Rolle gespielt. http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/schweiz/Das-ist-fremdenfeindlich/story/11943919

http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/pore/va/20140209/det580.html

Results of 2014 referendum “Gegen Masseneinwanderung�

In den urbanen Zentren haben die Menschen einerseits mehr Erfahrung mit dem Fremden und können sich dadurch dem Unbekannten auch mehr öffnen, man findet Wege, die einem helfen, mit vielen möglichen Situationen umzugehen. Diese Erfahrung haben Menschen, die in homogeneren und weniger dichten Gebieten leben, weniger.

Christian Schmid.

Professor.

Andererseits zieht es neugierige, für Neues offene Menschen eher in die städtischen Zentren. Die anderen suchen sich eher einen Wohnort in kleineren Gemeinden oder in der Agglomeration – falls sie nicht schon da leben. http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/schweiz/Das-ist-fremdenfeindlich/story/11943919

Extract from the federal constitution of the Swiss Confederation

Mindful of their responsibility towards creation, resolved to renew their alliance so as to strengthen liberty, democracy, independence and peace in a spirit of solidarity and openness towards the world, determined to live together with mutual consideration and respect for their diversity, conscious of their common achievements and their responsibility towards future generations, and in the knowledge that only those who use their freedom remain free, and that the strength of a people is measured by the well-being of its weakest members. http://www.admin.ch/ch/e/rs/1/101.en.pdf

92 of 246 Swiss parliament members, i.e. less than 40%, use Twitter actively.

http://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/ungleiches-gezwitscher-aus-dem-parlament-1.18378048

http://www.ohnedich.ch/

Durch Stress entstehen in der Schweiz jährlich Kosten von CHF 4,2 Milliarden.

http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/wirtschaft/aktuell/wenn_der_stress_am_arbeitsplatz_zu_gross_wird_1.1695235.html

Further inspiration

http://www.slideshare.net/frankcalberg/ideas-to-prevent-stress

Part # 9 Some services and communities in Switzerland

Food and farming communities

Sources https://www.facebook.com/ALDI.CH http://www.barkat.ch https://www.facebook.com/coop.ch https://www.facebook.com/Migros http://www.spar.ch

Sources https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bachsermärt/563722327018568 http://www.dunkelhoelzli.ch/ http://fgvaa.ch/ https://www.facebook.com/oepfelchasper.biokurier http://ortoloco.ch/

Sources https://www.pinterest.com/cookeatfood/ https://www.facebook.com/zuerikocht/

Rooftop greenhouse in Basel with fresh fish and healthy vegetables

http://urbanfarmers.com/projects/basel/

Clothing services and communities

Sources http://www.kleiderkorb.ch/ http://www.caritas-secondhand.ch/ http://www.infoklick.ch/walkincloset/kleidertauschboersen/ http://www.plvfashion.ch/ http://www.texaid.ch/

Services and communities for lending / renting and buying / selling things

Sources http://www.bringundnimm.ch/ http://www.brockenhaus-verzeichnis.ch/ http://www.housetrip.com/ http://www.pumpipumpe.ch/ https://sharely.ch/ https://www.shrebo.ch/ http://www.weeshare.com/ http://www.wy.by/

Sources http://www.exsila.ch/ http://musikboerse-effektiv.ch/ https://www.ricardo.ch/

Education services

Sources http://bildungsplattformen.ch/ http://www.nachsitzen.ch/ https://tutor24.ch/

Switzerland – most problematic factors

http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GlobalCompetitivenessReport_2013-14.pdf

Cleaning services

http://quitt.ch/

Price comparison services

Sources http://www.123vergleich.ch/ http://www.bfox.ch/ http://www.comparis.ch/ https://www.financefox.ch/ https://www.hypoplus.ch/ http://www.toppreise.ch/

Transportation services and communities

Sources http://www.e-carpooling.ch/ http://hitchhike.ch/ http://www.karzoo.ch/ http://www.mitfahrangebot.ch/ http://www.mitfahrgelegenheit.ch/ http://www.mobility.ch/ http://www.sbb.ch/ https://sharoo.com/ http://www.zvv.ch/

Sources http://www.parkingspace.ch/ http://parkit.ch/ http://www.parku.ch/ http://www.sharedparking.ch/

Sources http://www.sailbox.ch/ http://www.sailcom.ch/

Sources http://www.nextbike.ch/ http://www.occasionsvelo.ch/ https://www.publibike.ch/ http://rentabike.ch/ http://www.schweizrollt.ch/ http://www.velospot.ch/

Further inspiration http://www.slideshare.net/frankcalberg/bicycle-friendly-cities

Healthcare services and communities

Sources https://www.deindoktor.ch/ https://www.dred.com/ch/ http://www.spitalfinder.ch/

Sources https://www.betreut.ch/ http://www2.medgate.ch/ https://seniorservice24.ch/

Source http://quevita.com/

Insurance services and communities

Sources http://cgd.swissre.com/ https://openminds.swissre.com/ http://www.swissre.com/

Innovation services and communities

Sources https://www.atizo.com/ http://www.nextsuisse.ch/ http://www.nextzuerich.ch/

Sources http://www.jacando.com/ https://www.mila.com/ http://www.renovero.ch/ http://www.rentarentner.ch/ http://www.skillharbour.com/ http://swissvolunteer.ch/

Sources http://www.pauluskirche.ch/2983.html http://www.skillharbour.com/ http://sprach-tandem.ch/ http://www.talent.ch/

Sources http://www.forumenergie.ch/ https://twitter.com/impacthubzurich/ https://twitter.com/OpenDataZurich/

Sources http://www.3dhubs.com/zurich http://fablab.ch/official-register-of-fab-labs-in-switzerland/ http://www.meetup.com/3D-Printing-Zurich/

Sources https://www.buero-zueri.ch/ https://popupoffice.ch/ http://www.workspace2go.ch/

Funding services and communities

Sources https://www.7crowd.ch/ http://www.100-days.net/ http://www.buyeco.ch/ https://www.cashare.ch/ http://c-crowd.com/ https://www.crowdhouse.ch/ http://www.ibelieveinyou.ch/ http://impact.sosense.org/ https://www.investiere.ch/ https://wemakeit.com/

Further inspiration http://www.slideshare.net/SwissFinteCH/swiss-fintech-ecosystem-directory-v10

Music services

https://www.stagend.com/

IT and telecom services

Sources https://www.google.ch/ http://www.search.ch/ https://swisscows.ch/

Part # 10 The political system in Switzerland

Switzerland has been a federal state since 1848.

Authority is shared between  the Confederation (central state),  the 26 cantons (federal states), and  the 2352 communes. https://www.ch.ch/en/swiss-federalism/

How Swiss citizens can make a law

https://www.admin.ch/opc/de/classified-compilation/19995395/index.html article 139. http://www.bk.admin.ch/dokumentation/02070/index.html

How Swiss citizens can voice disagreement with laws

https://www.admin.ch/opc/de/classified-compilation/19995395/index.html article 141. http://www.bk.admin.ch/dokumentation/02070/index.html

The Federal Assembly comprises 2 chambers:  The national council / the Senate.  The council of states / House of Representatives.

Both chambers have equal standing. https://www.admin.ch/opc/en/classified-compilation/19995395/index.html

Nationalrat = The national council. The Senate. The lower house.  200 representatives of Swiss people.  Each canton and half-canton is entitled to at least 1 seat, even if its resident population is below the national average of 37,500.

https://www.admin.ch/opc/de/classified-compilation/19995395/index.html article 149. http://oscepa2014.ch/swiss-political-system-2/?lang=en

Parties and seats in the national council from 1919 to 2011

http://www.psa.ac.uk/psa-communities/specialist-groups/parliaments-and-legislatures/blog/swiss-parliament-hybrid-system

Ständerat = Council of states. House of Representatives. The upper house.  46 representatives.  20 cantons each send 2 representatives.  6 cantons each send 1 representative.

Obwalden, Nidwalden, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Land, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, and Appenzell Innerrhoden.

https://www.admin.ch/opc/de/classified-compilation/19995395/index.html article 150. http://oscepa2014.ch/swiss-political-system-2/?lang=en

Each of the 26 cantons / federal states has its own constitution, government and courts. The sovereignty of the cantons is guaranteed by Article 3 of the Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation according to which the cantons exercise “all rights that are not vested in the Confederation.�

Examples of tasks that cantons are responsible for: Education, hospitals, and police. https://www.ch.ch/en/swiss-federalism/ http://oscepa2014.ch/swiss-political-system-2/?lang=en https://www.admin.ch/opc/en/classified-compilation/19995395/index.html

The Federal council of Switzerland, the supreme governing and executive authority of the Confederation, consists of 7 ministers. Each of the 7 members is elected by the Federal council for a term of 4 years. At re-election of the 7 ministers every 4 years - a couple of months after parliamentary elections - the 7 votes take place according to the order of seniority. In other words, whoever has been a minister for the longest, is up for election first. Election of new ministers is elected at the end.

The 246 members of the Swiss parliament, i.e. 200 members from the House of Representatives and 46 members from the Senate, come together in a joint session to cast their individual votes in a secret ballot. They can vote for anyone they want – even for non-politicians who haven’t put themselves forward. This can result in behind-the-scenes deals.

To be elected, a candidate needs an absolute majority, i.e. half the votes plus one. If all 246 parliamentarians turn up, this means that to be elected as a Swiss cabinet, a person needs to get at least 124 votes.

In the first 2 rounds, anyone can be voted for. After that, parliament members are not allowed to vote for any new names. Whoever in the 2nd or subsequent rounds gets fewer than 10 votes, drops out. If, in the 3rd or subsequent rounds, everyone gets at least 10 votes, the person with the fewest drops out. The vote continues until a winning candidate has been elected. https://www.admin.ch/opc/en/classified-compilation/19995395/index.html, article 174 and 175. http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/cabinet-elections_how-will-new-ingredients-change--magic-formula--/41825058

Further inspiration

https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start/federal-council/political-system-of-switzerland.html http://www.parlament.ch/ http://www.politnetz.ch/ http://www.psa.ac.uk/psa-communities/specialist-groups/parliaments-andlegislatures/blog/swiss-parliament-hybrid-system http://smartmonitor.ch/ http://www.vimentis.ch/