1. Switzerland
Ella and Noora
M1A

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. Sources
My Switzerland: eDiplomat: The Local Expatfocus Everyculture.com Typologies Goinglobal IOR Catherine Bartlett, Aira Davidsson Improve Your Global Competence

13. Sources
Pictures:
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