1. What Are The Swiss Famous For?
Watches
Chocolate
The Alps
Nutrality
Switzerland
2.
3. All About the
Country
• Bern is the capital of Switzerland
• The country is landlocked by France in the
West, Germany in the Northeast, Austria
in the East and Italy to the South
• Approx. 8.1 million people (2015)
• Strong, stable economy, low
unemployment, highly qualified work
force.
• Switzerland is 6 hours ahead of the
United States
4. All About the
People
• German (65%), French (18%), Italian
(10%), Romansch (1%), others (6%)
• Language spoken: German (64.9%),
French (22.6%), Italian (8.3%), Romansch
(0.5%).
• Cities, towns, & villages are called
cantons.
• Two major religions= Roman Catholic
(64.9%) & Protestant (26.9%)
• Most of the population is in the age range
of 25 to 54 yrs old.
• Elderly are respected
5. All About the
Business
• Use titles: Mr., Miss, Mrs., Dr., etc. Shake
hands only after being introduced.
• Stand at arms length
• Good posture, cleanliness, and proper
etiquette are expected
• Swiss Franc is currency
• Business dealings may rely on ideals
rather than hard facts
• Humor has no place in business dealings
• Keep wrists on the table, always say hello
when entering an establishment, diners
are eaten early
6. References
• Hoffman, N. (2015). High school in Switzerland blends work with learning: a nationwide system that matches high school students with
training, jobs, and education helps power a strong economy and keep older teenagers engaged. Phi Delta Kappan, 97(3), 29. Retrieved
from http://intranetserv.herkimer.edu:2102/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA434225331&v=2.1&u=hcc c&it=r
&p=AONE&asid=9cb0bb8260216af26f225fff2f9d09d7
• Oettli, M. (2009). Culture shock! a survival guide to customs and etiquette. Tarrytown, N.Y.: Marshall Cavendish.
• Morrison, T., & Conaway, W. (2006). Kiss, bow, or shake hands. Avon, Mass.: Adams Media.
• Nationmaster.com,. (2015). Switzerland vs United States: Education Facts and Stats. Retrieved 20 November 2015, from
http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/compare/Switzerland/United-States/Education
• Countrymeters.info,. (2015). Switzerland population 2015 | Current population of Switzerland. Retrieved 23 November 2015, from
http://countrymeters.info/en/switzerland
• Indexmundi.com,. (2015). Switzerland Demographics Profile 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2015, from
http://www.indexmundi.com/switzerland/demographics_profile.html
• http://www.expatica.com/ch/insider-views/Culture-and-social-etiquette-in-Switzerland_106551.html
• MySwitzerland.com,. (2015). Currency. Retrieved 23 November 2015, from http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/currency.html
Editor's Notes
The things that come to mind when I think of the Swiss are: Swiss watches, Swiss chocolate, the Swiss Alps and the country being neutral in all things war related. The last incursion of Switzerland was in 1802 after Napoleon pulled his troops out. There was a civil war over religion. Even though Switzerland was not an active participant in WWII, that does not mean they weren’t affected. Switzerland was forced to accommodate Nazi Germany during that time to remain free.
I chose Switzerland because of its neutrality. I also felt that it would be interesting due to the image of propriety it has. Switzerland’s flag is square, not a rectangle. Many people mistake the flag for the Red Cross symbol. International Red Cross was formed in Geneva. It is a red cross on a white background.
Bern’s population is appro. 353,000. Switzerland youth are encouraged to choose a career path at the age of 15 and then their schooling is formulated around that choice. The normal amount of schooling for the Swiss youth is 16 years.
**Romansch is considered a romance language **There are at least 6 other languages spoken. English is one of them and many people speak in their native tongue along with a second and third language. **Interestingly 21.4% of the people list that they have NO religion.**Younger people will relinquish their seats to the elderly. **Strangers are regularly scolded for bad behavior in public.
**Be sure to use last names and if they are hyphenated use both names. It is considered rude to use only one of them. **Rude to stand too close. But Family and Friends are encouraged to make bodily contact when speaking. **Cleaning your nails or chewing gum is considered impolite. **Highly shined shoes are a must. **Do not talk loudly on cell phones in public. **Switzerland is not part of the European Union, therefore it is not required to switch over to the Euro. Many businesses accept the Euro and will give price comparisons in Euros but your change will come back in Swiss Franc’s. **German and French are objective thinkers while the Italians are subjective. ideologies, and nationalism may influence the truth of any situation. **Deliberations on decisions proceed slowly. High pressure tactics will fail. The Swiss will negotiate anything except price. **Do not call anyone after 9pm.
