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Handbook for Investors. Business location in Switzerland.

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15.2 Table of figures.<br />

Fig. 1: <strong>Switzerland</strong>’s <strong>in</strong>ternational rank<strong>in</strong>gs ......................... 9<br />

Fig. 2: Map of <strong>Switzerland</strong>’s <strong>location</strong> ................................. 10<br />

Fig. 3: Direct democracy ................................................... 12<br />

Fig. 4: Political stability ...................................................... 13<br />

Fig. 5: Globalization ........................................................... 15<br />

Fig. 6: International organizations headquartered <strong>in</strong><br />

<strong>Switzerland</strong> ............................................................. 16<br />

Fig. 7: <strong>Switzerland</strong> <strong>in</strong> figures ............................................. 17<br />

Fig. 8: 2008 (nom<strong>in</strong>al) per capita gross domestic<br />

product <strong>in</strong> USD ....................................................... 18<br />

Fig. 9: Industry structure, percentage of employees ......... 19<br />

Fig. 10: 2008 competitiveness rank<strong>in</strong>g Global<br />

Competitiveness Index (GCI).................................. 19<br />

Fig. 11: 2006 Global Innovation Index ................................. 19<br />

Fig. 12: Trade balance as a % of GDP ................................ 20<br />

Fig. 13: Imports and exports by countries ........................... 20<br />

Fig. 14: Direct <strong>in</strong>vestments .................................................. 21<br />

Fig. 15: Economic freedom ................................................. 27<br />

Fig. 16: Guide <strong>for</strong> <strong>in</strong>novative and creative m<strong>in</strong>ds ................ 30<br />

Fig. 17: Overview of legal <strong>for</strong>ms .......................................... 42<br />

Fig. 18: Procedure <strong>for</strong> establish<strong>in</strong>g a company<br />

(AG, GmbH) ............................................................ 46<br />

Fig. 19: Do I need a visa? .................................................... 49<br />

Fig. 20: Visa regulations <strong>for</strong> certa<strong>in</strong> countries ..................... 49<br />

Fig. 21: Types of permits ..................................................... 51<br />

Fig. 22: Work and residence permits: rules and<br />

procedures.............................................................. 54<br />

Fig. 23: Countries with which <strong>Switzerland</strong> has a<br />

tra<strong>in</strong>ee agreement ................................................... 57<br />

Fig. 24: Onl<strong>in</strong>e sources of <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>mation on real estate .......... 58<br />

Fig. 25: Market prices <strong>for</strong> office space, as of<br />

fourth quarter .......................................................... 59<br />

Fig. 26: Steps <strong>in</strong> a purchase transaction ............................. 60<br />

Fig. 27: Construction sites: market prices <strong>for</strong><br />

commercial build<strong>in</strong>gs .............................................. 61<br />

Fig. 28: Market prices <strong>for</strong> rental apartments ....................... 62<br />

Fig. 29: Market prices <strong>for</strong> owner-occupied apartments ........ 63<br />

Fig. 30: Permit requirement by group .................................. 65<br />

Fig. 31: International comparison of worker motivation ....... 67<br />

Fig. 32: International experience ......................................... 68<br />

Fig. 33: Gross monthly salary (median), broken down<br />

by <strong>in</strong>dustry and region ............................................ 68<br />

Fig. 34: Gross annual earned <strong>in</strong>come <strong>in</strong> each<br />

occupational group <strong>in</strong> CHF .................................... 69<br />

Fig. 35: Industry labor costs: direct remuneration<br />

and non-wage labor costs ...................................... 69<br />

Fig. 36: Gross annual earned <strong>in</strong>come <strong>in</strong> each<br />

occupational group ................................................. 70<br />

Fig. 37: Labor market deregulation ..................................... 71<br />

Fig. 38: Cooperation between employers and employees ...... 72<br />

Fig. 39: Demarcation of day, even<strong>in</strong>g and night .................. 73<br />

Fig. 40: Appo<strong>in</strong>tments and dismissals ................................. 75<br />

Fig. 41: Overview of compulsory contributions ................... 76<br />

Fig. 42: Global f<strong>in</strong>ancial centers .......................................... 81<br />

Fig. 43: Mortgage <strong>in</strong>terest rates .......................................... 85<br />

Fig. 44: State <strong>in</strong>centives ...................................................... 87<br />

Fig. 45: Credit rat<strong>in</strong>g: the ten safest countries .................... 88<br />

Fig. 46: Capital costs ........................................................... 88<br />

Fig. 47: Inflation ................................................................... 89<br />

Fig. 48: Total tax rate (TTR).................................................. 93<br />

Fig. 49: International bus<strong>in</strong>ess activity ................................ 99<br />

Fig. 50: Quality of the <strong>in</strong>frastructure .................................. 102<br />

Fig. 51: Direct <strong>in</strong>tercont<strong>in</strong>ental air connections from<br />

Zurich and Geneva ............................................... 105<br />

Fig. 52: National and regional airports <strong>in</strong> <strong>Switzerland</strong> ....... 106<br />

Fig. 53: Internet subscribers .............................................. 107<br />

Fig. 54: Healthcare <strong>in</strong>frastructure ...................................... 109<br />

Fig. 55: <strong>Switzerland</strong>’s educational system ........................ 111<br />

Fig. 56: Quality of the educational system ........................ 112<br />

Fig. 57: Public spend<strong>in</strong>g on education per capita <strong>in</strong> USD ...... 112<br />

Fig. 58: Swiss higher education landscape ....................... 114<br />

Fig. 59: Tuition fees <strong>in</strong> CHF per year ................................. 115<br />

Fig. 60: Executive MBA: the top schools........................... 116<br />

Fig. 61: School fees <strong>for</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternational private schools........ 117<br />

Fig. 62: Total per capita expenditure on research<br />

and development <strong>in</strong> USD ..................................... 118<br />

Fig. 63: Nobel prizes per million <strong>in</strong>habitants...................... 118<br />

Fig. 64: Research <strong>in</strong>stitutions <strong>in</strong> <strong>Switzerland</strong> ..................... 118<br />

Fig. 65: Global comparison of quality of liv<strong>in</strong>g .................. 120<br />

Fig. 66: Personal safety ..................................................... 121<br />

Fig. 67: Attractiveness <strong>for</strong> highly qualified employees<br />

from <strong>for</strong>eign countries........................................... 121<br />

Fig. 68: Favorite leisure activities ...................................... 125<br />

Fig. 69: Real disposable <strong>in</strong>come <strong>in</strong> Swiss municipalities ........127<br />

Fig. 70: Average household budget................................... 128<br />

Fig. 71: International comparison of purchas<strong>in</strong>g<br />

power (<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g rents) ......................................... 128<br />

Fig. 72: Examples of cantonal <strong>in</strong>centives and<br />

economic assistance ............................................ 131<br />

Fig. 73: Applicable regions <strong>for</strong> tax relief ............................ 132<br />

Fig. 74: Technology parks and <strong>in</strong>cubator centers ............. 134<br />

<strong>Handbook</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Investors</strong> 2010<br />

139

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