Cultural Areas Switzerland example essay topic

Switzerland is best described by conveying an understanding of its geography, political, economic, cultural and social environments. The geography of the country has had a significant impact on its way of life. Switzerland is bordered by Germany in the north, Austria and the Principality of Liechtenstein in the east, Italy in the south and France in the west. This represents many significant European cultures converging on Switzerland - the German speaking region, the French and the Italian. Two thirds of the Swiss population lives in the Plateau, between Lake Geneva and Lake Constance, in 30 percent of the country's surface area. There are 450 people to every 1 km 2 (1,166 per square mile).

This makes the country one of the most densely populated regions of Europe and a promising prospect for marketing a product. The country that we know today took its final shape only in 1848. Before that time, we cannot really speak of 'Swiss history,' but rather the history of its various parts, which only gradually came together. Political Environment Switzerland is a nation shaped by the resolve of its citizens: it is not an ethnic, linguistic or religious entity. Since 1848, it has been a federal state - one of 23 in the world and the second oldest after the United States of America. Like the U.S., Switzerland values the idea of federalism and sovereignty, which has ensured its historical survival.

The main political parties in Switzerland are the Swiss People's Party (SVP), Social-democratic Party (SP), Radical Democratic Party (FDP), Christian Democratic Party (CVP) and the Green Party. The Federal Constitution is the legal foundation of the Confederation. It contains the most important rules for the smooth functioning of the state. It guarantees the basic rights of the people and the participation of the public. It distributes the tasks between the Confederation and the cantons and defines the responsibilities of the authorities. Switzerland has a federal structure with three different political levels: o the Federation o the cantons o the local authorities The Federation is the Swiss designation of the State (the term Confederation is also frequently used).

The Federation has authority in all areas in which it is empowered by the Federal Constitution - for example, foreign and security policy, customs and monetary policy, legislation that is valid through the country and in other areas that are in the common interest of all Swiss citizens. Tasks which do not expressly fall within the province of the Federation are handled at the next lower level, i.e. by the cantons. The head of state is the federal president; the post is purely ceremonial and rotates annually among the members of the Federal Council. A Federal Council (the executive authority) of seven members elected individually for a four-year term by, but not necessarily from, the two houses of parliament in joint session. After the formation of the coalition between the four major political parties in 1959 (the so-called magic formula), the Federal Council was made up of two members each from the Social-democratic Party, the Radical Democratic Party and the Christian Democratic Party, as well as one member of the Swiss People's Party.

Following the federal election on October 19th 2003, the distribution of seats in the Federal Council changed, with the Swiss People's Party increasing its number of seats to two, leaving the Christian Democratic Party with one seat. Switzerland is divided into 26 cantons. There are German-speaking and French-speaking cantons, one Italian-speaking canton and cantons in which both German and French are spoken. In one canton (Grab " under) German, Italian and Rha eto-Romanic (Rumantsch) are spoken.

Each canton has its own constitution, its government, its parliament, its courts and its laws, though they must, of course, be compatible with those of the Confederation. The cantons enjoy a great deal of administrative autonomy and freedom of decision-making. They have independent control over their education systems and social services, and each has its own police force. Each canton also sets its own level of taxation.

Each of the 26 cantons and half-cantons has a parliament elected by universal suffrage, and a government the organization of which varies from canton to canton. In two cantons the principle of universal sovereignty is exercised directly through assemblies of all voters. The cantons are sovereign in all areas that are not specifically entrusted to the federal government. The cantons are divided into communes, which make up the local authorities. All Swiss are first and foremost citizens of a commune. It is from this status that they automatically derive citizenship of a canton and of the country as a whole.

Foreigners wishing to become Swiss citizens have to apply to the commune where they live. Switzerland has a firmly anchored tradition of service to the community, under which citizens take on public office which they perform alongside their normal jobs. This is referred to by the Swiss as the militia system. Its best known manifestation is the army, which is largely non-professional, even as far as most of its officers are concerned. Since the Swiss Confederation was surrounded by large countries, that is, Germany, France, Austria and Italy, the goal of its foreign policy between 1848 and 1945 was - and still is - not to be drawn into military conflicts. Instead, Switzerland pursued a realistic and - in the positive sense - modest foreign policy.

Therefore the country is not burdened with a history of colonialism and to this day the Swiss people are inspired by a deep desire for peace and a dislike of wars of any kind. In wars between nations, Switzerland is neutral. The Bicameral Federal Assembly (parliament), comprising the National Council and the Council of States. Both chambers are directly elected, but while the number of seats per canton in the National Council is apportioned according to the size of the population, each canton elects two representatives into the Council of States and each half-canton elects one representative, irrespective of the size of the population. Any law passed by both houses that modifies the constitution must be submitted to a referendum. Laws must also be submitted to a referendum if this is demanded by eight cantons or 50,000 citizens.

Citizens may initiate changes to the constitution by gathering 100,000 signatures to petition for a referendum (people's initiative). People can take direct influence by two means: 1. Initiative: 100'000 citizens can request a voting about a change or extension of the Bundesverfassung ('constitution') or the Bundesgesetzt ('federal law'). 2. Referendum: If the Bundesrat wants to change or extend the Bundesverfassung ('constitution') or the Bundesgesetz ('federal law'), 50'000 citizens can request a voting about it. All the cantons are divided into municipalities or communes of which there are at present 2903.

Their number is tending to diminish as these municipalities merge. Around one-fifth of these municipalities have their own parliament; in the other four-fifths, decisions are taken by a process of direct democracy in the local assembly. In addition to the tasks entrusted to them by the Federation and the canton - such as the population register and civil defence - the local authorities also have specific tasks of their own for education and social welfare, energy supply, road building, local planning, taxation, etc. To a large extent, these powers are self-regulated. The scope of municipal autonomy is determined by the individual cantons, and therefore varies widely. Switzerland recognizes that as the world changes, it faces new challenges in formulating its foreign policy.

A report issued by the government in 2000 pointed to such factors as globalization, revolutionary scientific and technical advance, threats to the environment and increasing migration as major developments which will demand a response. The report stressed that Switzerland will have to act in collaboration with other states, since no single state can find solutions to global issues. The Swiss themselves have a somewhat contradictory attitude to foreign countries. On the one hand, the economy is very outward looking, ordinary people travel a lot and many speak several languages. On the other, they have tended to keep aloof from close involvement in international bodies. Economic Environment Switzerland is a prosperous and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big western European economies.

Even though Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, nor do they aspire to be, they have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the European Union's in an effort to enhance their international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safe haven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to about 0.8% and to 0.0% in 2002. GDP growth rebounded slightly in 2003 at 0.1%, and is expected to continue to improve for the next five years.

The inflation rate is stable and has remained relatively low at or below 1% for the past few years. This rate is lower than the EU and US rates and is a result of the high savings ratio and large inflows of foreign money. Switzerland has the 2nd highest per capita GNI (formerly GNP) in the world at $37,935 per person. Luxembourg has the highest GNI at $39,171 per person, and the U.S. ranks 5th at $34,859 per person. Switzerland's 2002 GDP came in at $231 billion (US$), and per capita GDP was sixth highest in the world at $31,653 per person. About 64% of the Swiss GDP is generated by the services sector, with industrial sector accounting for 33%, and agriculture about 2%.

The high growth industries in the services sector include information technology, telecommunications, tourism, and financial services. Growth areas in the industrial sector include basic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machine tools, precision engineering (clocks and watches), and jewelry. Switzerland is one of the most attractive countries for foreign direct investment (FDI), because the government does not interfere with foreign investment. It focuses instead on maintaining favorable investment conditions such as economic and political stability, a reliable and extensive infrastructure, and efficient capital markets.

In addition, foreign investors are treated in the same way as domestic investors, although restrictions do exist in areas of national security such as airports. Switzerland's economy benefits from a very stable and productive workforce. There are about 4 million people in the Swiss workforce, and their value added per employee is second highest in the world. Although there was some labor unrest in 2002, (the first such activity in 50 years) strikes are very rare and workplace absenteeism is low. Switzerland's unemployment rate has increased from 1.9% at the end of 2001 to about 3% today, showing the country's susceptibility to the weakening global and European economies.

However, this is still the lowest unemployment rate in Europe. Despite its relatively small size, Switzerland ranks among the top 20 exporters worldwide, with Germany as its most important trading partner. The other top trading partners are the United States, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Japan. Major exports include machinery, pharmaceuticals, clocks and watches, micro-technology, bio-technology, banking and insurance services, precision instruments, textiles and clothing, chemicals, and transportation equipment.

Major imports include machinery, automobiles, clothing, chemicals, precision instruments, and pharmaceuticals. Switzerland's decision not to join the EU probably makes it less competitive in some aspects; however, if it were to join the EU, Switzerland would have to reform its protected domestic market thus making it less competitive. The Swiss government realizes relations with the European Union are of crucial importance because Switzerland is entirely surrounded by EU Member States. Closer relations with the EU would be of major economic benefit. Trade with the EU accounts for some 45% of its GNP and 66% of all exports are destined for the EU. In fact, Switzerland applied to join the EU in 1992 and played a leading role in the negotiation of the European Economic Area treaty between the European Free Trade Area (EFTA) Countries and the European Union, but Switzerland was unable to ratify the treaty, because it was rejected by 50.3% of the Swiss population.

In an effort to bolster relations with the EU, the Swiss Government has negotiated more than 100 bilateral agreements with the European Union. The latest round of bilateral agreements was negotiated in 1999, and was ratified by the EU in 2002. These agreements cover the elimination of technical barriers to trade (mutual recognition of certification and registration of products); non discriminatory public procurement for local communities (water, energy, and the rail and telecommunications sectors); research and development with Swiss participation in EU programs; free movement of persons, mutual recognition of diplomas and reciprocal social security arrangements; improved access to Swiss markets for EU agricultural products; and land transport, civil aviation and a coordinated European transport policy. Meanwhile Switzerland and the EU have begun talks about the next steps which may consist of a series of further bilateral negotiations or full-blown accession negotiations. These negotiations and agreements bring Switzerland closer and closer to full EU membership and this issue will certainly remain at the top of the list for the Swiss Government. While the Federal Government retains EU membership as an objective, it knows that is has to convince the electorate, particularly that of the more remote and rural cantons, of the economic necessity of membership.

Cultural Environment Switzerland is a culture that can be divided into very distinct areas primarily based on its different language communities: German, French, Italian, and Romansh. These language communities make up over 90% of the population. The Swiss people are mainly of Alpine, Nordic, and Slavic descent. Just as Joel Garre au divided the USA into nine different "nations" or cultural areas-Switzerland must be seen as several different cultures.

There are many cultural differences in the various ethnic regions of the country. In general, the southern area is characterized as more relaxed and cheerful, the western area is described as more urbane and volatile and the eastern part of the country, where the majority of the banks are located, is more businesslike and bureaucratic. Hofstede's Classification Where does the country rank based on Hofstede's classification scheme? PDI Power Distance 34 Not Ranked IDV Individualism / Collectivism 68 14 out of 49 UAI Uncertainty Avoidance 58 33 out of 51 MAS Masculine / Feminine 70 4/5 out of 51 LTO Long Term Orientation No Score PDI: The Power Distance score for Switzerland is 34 compared to the world average of 55, the European average of 45 and the USA average of 40. This score indicates that the population feels that the power and control of the society should be equally distributed.

The society does not describe the importance of its individuals based on power and wealth. This score is similar to our USA score. IDV: The Individualism / Collectivism score is 68 compared to the world average of 43, the European average of 61, and the USA value of 91. This score indicates that the population is very independent; they prefer to act as individuals more than groups. They take care of their close family and do not typically live with extended family. They are reared as children believing that they must stand independently when they become adults.

Compared to our country we might not think they are very individualistic due to the fact that our score in this area is so much higher. UAI: The Uncertainty Avoidance score for Switzerland is 58 compared to the world average of 64, the European average of 74, and the USA value of 46. This score indicates that the country is accepting and tolerant of various views and is not uncomfortable with change, risk, uncertainty and unstructured rules. MAS: The Masculine / Feminine score for Switzerland is 70 compared to the world average of 50, the European average of 59, and the USA average of 62. The Switzerland MAS score tied for 4th place out of 51 countries. This score indicates that the population considers "male" values such as competitiveness, assertiveness, success and achievement more important than "female" values such as quality of societal life and environmental importance.

Language Most Swiss speak several languages and English is widely spoken. German-dialect Schwyzert " uts eh north, central east 66% Official Federal Language French western 18% Official Federal Language Italian southern 10% Official Federal Language Romansch-derive of Latin southeastern 1% Not a Federal Language Switzerland is a low context culture. Low context cultures capture the meaning of a communication message in the words alone. Very low context countries include Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, The Netherlands, and the USA.

In high context cultures, the meaning of a message is found in the person (including tone of voice, use of silence, facial cues, nonverbal signals, body language) and the situation surrounding the conversation (how well the sender and receiver know each other, the unspoken assumptions, and the context or environment surrounding the message). Note the emphasis is not on the words at all! Very high context countries include Japan, China, Thailand, Korea, India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and other Asian and Middle Eastern cultures. Recreation Activities The mountainous terrain, large beautiful lakes, 50,000 km of designated footpaths with refreshment stops, top mountaineering schools, plentiful ski resorts and alpine rivers make Switzerland a paradise for the outdoor sports enthusiast. The Alps are in the south part of the country and the Jura Mountains in the northwest. Switzerland is globally famous as a top destination for skiing, hiking and mountaineering.

Most lakes are also perfect for water-skiing, sailing and windsurfing. Rafting and canoeing are available on many of the rivers. And one can always find a beautiful place to para glide or hang-glide. Religion and Belief System Atheist Buddhism Catholic Christian Hindu Jewish Muslim Other 9% 0% 46% 40% 0% 0% 0% 5%The Constitution and laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion. There is not a national church but the different cantons support churches with public funds. Germany and France have designed anti-religious measures and attempted to manipulate Swiss lawmakers to pass them.

The Swiss government has held strong to its laws of religious freedom. Aesthetics - music, drama etc. Switzerland is surrounded by the most artistically rich countries in the world. Consequently, Swiss culture has contributed notably to literature, art, and music. It is an amalgam of the German, French, and Italian cultures embodied in the Swiss linguistic regions; however, it is separated from these parent cultures, for example, by Swiss dialects and cultural cross-pollination. From early times Switzerland has been exposed to many foreign influences, and as early as the Middle Ages the country had achieved a high cultural level.

Carolingian culture, particularly painting and Romanesque architecture, flourished, and the Saint Gall monastery was a brilliant center of Western culture. Since then most European cultural trends, such as humanism and the Reformation, have been assimilated. Swiss folk culture includes yodeling, playing the alp horn and Swiss wrestling. Two of the most famous Swiss include Rousseau whose writings were important in the development of democracy and Carl Jung who was a major developer of modern psychoanalysis.

Social Environment Switzerland is a relatively affluent country, but there are some social issues on the immediate horizon. Birthrate. Since 1972, fewer children have been born than is necessary for continued population growth. In 1998 there were more deaths than births among Swiss citizens - the first time this had happened since records began in 1871. However, the total population continues to rise slightly as a result of the increased naturalization of foreign residents. Aging Population.

The number of elderly and very old people is increasing, while the number of children and adolescents is decreasing. Women live longer than men, but this has not changed in ninety years. Workers and Pensioners. The number of working people is decreasing, while the number of pensioners is growing.

This is a cause of concern, since the pensions and care of the elderly are paid for by the social insurance contributions of those in work. For every retired person, there are now only four people working. In 1900 the proportion was 1: 10. Foreigners. In comparison with other European countries, the number of foreigners taking Swiss nationality is quite low, although one in every 10 adults holding Swiss citizenship in 2001 had acquired it through naturalization. The proportion of foreigners in the resident population is high, standing at 19.8% in 2002, though they are extremely unevenly spread.

The proportion of foreigners is particularly high among children: the 2000 census showed that overall 25.8% of children under 6 years old did not have Swiss nationality. In the five largest cities, 45% of children in this age range were not Swiss. Statistics: Population: 7,318,638 (July 2003 est.) Population growth rate: 0.21% (2003 est.) Swiss 53,751 Foreigners 19,758 Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.6% (male 623,428; female 591,709) 15-64 years: 67.8% (male 2,519,302; female 2,439,560) 65 years and over: 15.6% (male 470,257; female 674,382) (2003 est.) Median age: total: 40.2 years; male: 39.3 years; female: 41.2 years (2002) Live births 2001: Total: 73,509 Per 1000 Inhabitants: 10.1 Birth rate: 9.59 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) Deaths 2001: 61,287; per 1000 inhabitants: 8.4 Death rate: 8.82 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.99 years male: 77.11 years; female: 83.02 years (2003 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.48 children born / woman (2003 est.) Net migration rate: 1.37 migrant (s) /1,000 population (2003 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male (s) /female total population: 0.98 male (s) /female (2003 est.) HIV / AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.5% (2001 est. ); 19,000 (2001 est.) HIV / AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (2001 est.) Ethnic groups: German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% Religions: Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990) Languages: German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch (official) 0.6%, other 8.9% Literacy: total population: 99% (1980 est. ); definition: age 15 and over can read and write Family Life: Small Households.

People marry relatively late; they concentrate on their training and careers before they start a family. The majority of couples have only 1 or 2 children. Surveys have shown that parents put financial difficulties as the main reason for restricting family size. Large flats are expensive, and there is a shortage of affordable child care. Marriage.

Switzerland has a higher rate of both marriage and divorce than the average across the European Union. Far fewer babies are born out of wedlock than in most other European countries, although the percentage is rising. In 1998 they accounted for 8.8% of live births, but in 2001 the figure was 11.4%. In Sweden, with the highest rate in the EU, more than half of live births are to unmarried parents. There was an unprecedented sharp drop of nearly 10% in the number of marriages in 2001 in comparison with the previous year. Parents no longer feel it is necessary to marry before having a child.

A law came into force in 2000 allowing unmarried couples to enjoy joint parental rights. Living Space. Switzerland has a large number of one and two person households. Many older people live alone or in retirement homes, rather than with their children or relatives as they used to. One third of people of pensionable age were in living by themselves in 1997, against 14% in the population as a whole. However, children are staying on in the same house with their parents for longer, often living there with their first partner.

Living space per person is generous: the 2000 census showed the average figure to be 44 m 2 (474 sq. ft. ). Families with children prefer to live outside the big cities, if possible buying their own homes. However, the proportion of owner-occupiers remains the lowest in Europe, although the number rose in the decade 1990-2000. Two thirds of people in Switzerland do not own a home. Age at marriage (1999) 30.8 Men; 28.2 Women Divorce Rate 37%Children per Woman 1.27 Mother's Age at birth of first child 28.2 Living Conditions 1 person: 32%; 2 persons 32%; 3 persons; 15%Statistics: Education.

Adult literacy is 99%. Switzerland's education system ranks among the best in the world and produces a well-qualified workforce at all levels. As a result of the high quality education system and the multicultural society, a large part of the population is fluent in multiple languages. Adult education is recognized as an integral part of the educational system.

Recent statistics indicate that approximately 40% of the working population are engaged in specialized professional adult education. Switzerland will only be able to maintain its position as one of the most research-intensive western industrial countries if it succeeds in coordinating federal promotion, which is primarily concerned with pure research, and private industrial support for applied research and technical development, as well as in establishing clear priorities (research into new technologies and their consequences for the individual, the community and the environment). Switzerland spends almost 3% of the gross domestic product on research and development, and the proportion borne by private enterprise, at 75%, is higher than in any other country. Other Social Issues.

Social Disparity. Collaboration between the four languages is further complicated by the fact that the members of the largest language group, the German-speaking Swiss, whatever their social background, speak the dialects of their region as their everyday language. The increasing use of dialect in the mass media has aroused resistance among those with a sense of responsibility, because it is resulting in a blurring of the individuality of the regional dialects. Above all, however, the official use of dialect instead of High German means that the German-speaking Swiss are virtually inaccessible to their compatriots who speak a different language, and they are becoming isolated from other peoples who speak German. Suicide. Switzerland has launched its first concerted effort to fight suicide -- the country has one of the highest rates in the world.

During a two-day conference, representatives from medical, charitable and religious groups debated the causes and solutions to suicide, which experts say is still a taboo subject in Switzerland. A key goal of the conference was to petition the Swiss government to become more proactive in fighting the problem. Despite a declining population, Switzerland yet enjoys high per capita income, a near-perfect literacy rate and a strong geographical position. The status of neutrality that it has taken has not only protected Switzerland from war, but has helped prevent the country from being torn apart when its different language communities might have been tempted to side with different belligerents in cases of conflict. Since the end of the Cold War Switzerland has had to redefine its understanding of neutrality. It signed up to NATO's Partnership for Peace in 1996, stressing that it was motivated by the desire to promote peace and security and reserving the right to withdraw if it believed its neutrality was threatened.

Some of the advantages of conducting business in Switzerland are: Stable government Switzerland's geographical position amidst the strong European cultures of German, French and Italian-speakers High literacy rate of 99% Lenient foreign investor guidelines Second highest GNI globally Switzerland is positioned to expand its role in the global market and will continue to improve with the expansion of foreign investment and trade. It is a strong and stable market, for US companies, looking Central and Eastern European expansion.

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