Switzerland Ella and Noora M1A

Basic facts Capital: Bern Largest city: Zürich Population: 8,0 million Official languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh Religions: Majority of people Christian, 42% Roman- Catholic, 35% Protestant

Values The Swiss value cleanliness, honesty, hard work, and material possessions They value tolerance, punctuality and a sense of responsibility They are very proud of their neutrality and promotion of worldwide peace The Swiss have a deep-rooted respect for saving and the material wealth it brings They value family, religion and homeland

Customs and etiquette Meeting and greeting Shake hands with everyone present, also again when leaving Use last names and appropriate titles until specifically invited by your Swiss hosts or colleagues to use their first names Academic and professional titles are used frequently First names are reserved for very close friends and family

Customs and etiquette The Swiss take punctuality for business and social meetings very seriously and expect that you will do likewise Non-Verbal Dynamics Gestures are kept to a minimum Prefer not to be touched The Swiss prefer boundaries and it is important to respect the Swiss sense of privacy Body language Do not point your index finger to your head. This is an insult.

Customs and etiquette Dining Keep your hands on the table at all times during a meal - - not in your lap. However, keep your elbows off the table It is impolite to leave food on your plate When you are finished eating, place knife and fork side by side on the plate at the 5:25 position Leave a party no later than midnight

Customs and etiquette Helpful Hints Be punctual Show great respect for elderly Don’t litter Don’t chew gum or clean your fingernails in public Refrain from putting your hands in your pockets while talking with people Never put your feet on a desk, chair or table

Society and culture The biggest challenge is pinning down who exactly typifies the average Swiss: there are four different cultures and languages There are four linguistic regions: German-speaking (in the north, center, and east) French-speaking (in the west) Italian-speaking (in the south) Romansh-speaking (a small area in the southeast) This diversity makes the question of a national culture a recurring issue

Power distance, individualism, uncertainty avoidance Switzerland has low uncertainty avoidance, meaning they accept uncertainty and have few rules and are less emotional High individualism People in individualist cultures are expected to look after themselves and their immediate (=very close) family Extended family is not as important  Low power distance Power is distributed very equally among all members of society

Masculinity, time, context Low-context culture Information through specific messages Specifc, detailed information Emphasis on written communication Time (Monochronic) Time is a scarce resource Programmes and plans are important Punctuality is important Serious commitments concern time, dates, duration, money Masculinity In Switzerland there is a gap between the values of the men and women

Communication styles, small talk Swiss are attentive listeners and interrupting others is considered rude Conversations may include extended periods of silence, which do not necessarily convey a negative message Eye contact should be frequent, almost to the point of staring, as this conveys sincerity and helps build trust There is a little small talk if any

Sources My Switzerland: http://myswitzerland.com eDiplomat: http://www.ediplomat.com/np/cultural_etiquette/ce_ch.htm The Local http://www.thelocal.ch/20120725/3726 Expatfocus http://www.expatfocus.com/expatriate-switzerland-culture-society-religion Everyculture.com http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Switzerland.html#ixzz3E8A7cSQw Typologies http://acad.depauw.edu/~mkfinney/teaching/Com227/culturalportfolios/SWITZERLAND/Typologies.htm Goinglobal http://www.goinglobal.com/articles/931/ IOR http://www.iorworld.com/switzerland-pages-496.php http://instruction2.mtsac.edu/rjagodka/BUSM_51_Project/Negotiate_html/Switzerland.htm Catherine Bartlett, Aira Davidsson Improve Your Global Competence

Sources Pictures: http://d268xzw51cyeyg.cloudfront.net/wp- content/uploads/sites/843/2014/07/1794675_10151990602909077_1916483887_n.jpg http://www.hdwallpapersinn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/1920x1080_lake_in_switzerland-1558514.jpg http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/europe/switzerland/map_of_switzerland.jpg http://lists10.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/lakes.jpg http://smashmaterials.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Chateau-de-Chillon-Lake-Geneva-Switzerland.jpg http://www.hola.com/imagenes/viajes/2013040563946/suiza-fotogaleria-tradiciones/0-231-309/a_sts7797-a.jpg http://www.fecielo.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/the-natural-beauty-of-switzerland-old-church-and-village-set- on-cliffs-above-the-inn-river-with-snow-covered-mountains-in-the-background.jpg http://www.206tours.com/images/switzerland/interlaken/interlaken-switzerland3a.jpg http://www.ski-i.com/pub/img/country/6/switzerland_default_country_page_website_default.19312.jpg