Masterpieces of Swiss Entrepreneurship: Swiss SMEs Competing in Global Markets

This open-access book explores the strategies and success factors of medium-sized Swiss companies with a long-standing export tradition and a dominant position in global niche markets. Based on in-depth research of 36 companies across their entire history, the book offers valuable insights into the pathways and factors that enable these firms to thrive from a high-cost location, including detailed company profiles that showcase their history, development, and global niche positions. The book is intended for owners and leaders of SMEs in Switzerland and beyond, providing a conceptual and practical framework for understanding different development pathways and management practices.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 561 pages
Publication date: 19 March 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This open-access book delves into the realm of medium-sized companies headquartered in Switzerland, renowned for their longstanding export tradition and dominant presence in global niche markets. Through extensive documentation and in-depth analysis of 36 Swiss companies across their entire history, an expert team of authors uncovers striking similarities in the pathways and success factors that enabled these firms to achieve dominance and operate from a high-cost location like Switzerland.

To enhance these insights, the book presents detailed company profiles, encompassing the company's history, development, and the strategies employed to establish their prominent global niche positions. These profiles serve as valuable resources for readers, as they compile a diverse range of industries, primarily active within the B2B sector, with a majority of mature companies (ranging from 60 years to over 100 years since their founding) and diverse ownership structures, including family firms.

"Masterpieces of Swiss Entrepreneurship" offers a wealth of learning opportunities for owners and leaders of SMEs in Switzerland and beyond. The findings are grounded in rigorous bottom-up research conducted without any pre-conceived notions, providing a comprehensive and unbiased perspective. The book strikes a perfect balance between conceptual insights and practical applications, fostering a deeper understanding of different development pathways and management practices.

Matti Alahuhta, Chairman of DevCo Partners and a former CEO of Kone, serves as a prominent board member of numerous global listed companies. In his endorsement, he emphasizes the significance of this book for start-up entrepreneurs seeking proven models from industry that showcase various routes to success. "Masterpieces of Swiss Entrepreneurship" provides deep insights, highlighting these models and the critical trade-offs that entrepreneurial teams must navigate when deciding between pursuing high growth or maximizing control, often finding themselves in a mutually exclusive predicament.

Gina Domanig, Managing Partner, also contributes her endorsement, highlighting the value of this resource for entrepreneurs and business professionals alike. She emphasizes that "Masterpieces of Swiss Entrepreneurship" serves as a valuable guide, equipping readers with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship and achieve sustainable success in global niche markets.

Weight: 902g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030652890
Edition number: 1st ed. 2021