Switzerland as a business location is bursting with optimism
The economic environment and the financial outlook for Switzerland as a business location and for Swiss industrial companies could hardly be better: 87 percent of CFOs see their economic environment as positive for the next 12 months, according to a survey by the consulting firm Deloitte.
The signs for Switzerland as a workplace are good again. The time is therefore ideal to set the course for the future and to drive innovation in the companies. Digitalisation already plays an important role for a large majority of Swiss industrial companies.
However, many companies are still at the very beginning of the transformation process when it comes to making digital business models "fit for everyday use".
Revise revenue models
"The Swiss workplace is becoming more digital and networked. Industry 4.0 is no longer an abstract buzzword for many industrial companies. The current economically quiet growth phase may be short-lived and must therefore be used to review deferred investments for current relevance and then drive innovations forward.
Those who fail to position themselves well now will be in dire straits during the next crisis in the euro zone," says Konstantin von Radowitz, Head of Consumer & Industrial Products at Deloitte Switzerland.
The most important industry trends at a glance:
- Economic Outlook: Expectations among Swiss CFOs in the retail and MEM sectors are more positive than ever before, with 87% of respondents positive about the outlook for the Swiss economy over the next 12 months.
- Business development: Swiss CFOs from the manufacturing sector are more positive about their company's financial outlook than most CFOs in other European countries, with the exception of CFOs in France, who are the most optimistic.
- Growth prospects: In terms of sales and operating margins, CFOs in Switzerland are much more positive than in the previous six months, and also in comparison with other countries such as Germany, France, Italy and the UK.
- Investment expectations: Most Swiss CFOs in the manufacturing sector expect an increase in investment, which is also true for all other European countries, although they are somewhat less optimistic about growth in the number of employees.
- Strategic Priorities: To maintain their competitive edge, Swiss MEM companies must invest in digital technologies, according to 89% of respondents. In particular, the improvement of processes (89%) and the further development of business models (74%) as well as the further training of digital skills (71%) and the hiring of new specialists (70%) are innovation and growth drivers.
More studies and evaluations from Deloitte can be found at this Link
