Swiss companies are world leaders in innovation spending
Switzerland has been crowned the world’s most innovative country for eighth year in a row by theGeneva-based World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
Keystone
This content was published on
2 minutes
SDA-ATS/ds
العربية
ar
ريادة عالمية للشركات السويسرية في الإنفاق على الإبتكار
Swiss companies are at the front of the pack when it comes to investing in research and development (R&D) worldwide, according to a global business survey.
Accounting and consulting firm Ernst & Young (EY) found that Swiss companies spend 6.6% of their turnover on R&D, compared with an average of 3.8% worldwide.
The authors of the study, which was published on Thursday, analysed the investments of the 500 top-spending international companies in R&D. Expenditure in the sector increased by 6 percent in 2017 to 532 billion euros (CHF 601 billion), the report found, while two-thirds of the companies boosted research spending.
“Investment in research and development is increasing worldwide because rapid technological progress, ever shorter product cycles and rapidly changing consumer demands are driving companies to innovate,” explained Marcel Stalder, chief executive officer of EY Switzerland.
The Swiss companies in the selection earmarked the largest share of their turnover (6.6% in 2017) to research and development, ahead of competitors from the United States (5.9%), Sweden (4.4%), and Germany (4.1%).
The results show that Swiss companies have recognised early “the importance of innovation for their long-term international competitiveness and the need for high margins”, the study said.
Digital and pharma in the spotlight
In absolute terms, the top of the ranking is occupied by tech giants Amazons and Alphabet (Google’s parent company).
In Europe, the Volkswagen automotive group is the top spender, with an R&D budget of 11.6 billion euros in 2017.
Pharmaceutical companies are also well ranked, with Roche, Johnson & Johnson, and Merck & Co all making the top 10.
In all, eleven of the top 500 companies are Swiss, and their combined R&D investments came to some 23 billion euros in 2017.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Abbot of Saint-Maurice steps down following sex abuse report
This content was published on
Jean Scarcella has decided to step down as Abbot of Saint-Maurice in the Swiss canton of Valais, the abbey announced on Saturday.
Philipp Matthias Bregy named new president of Centre Party
This content was published on
Valais National Councillor Philipp Matthias Bregy is the new President of the Centre Party. The delegates elected him as the successor to Gerhard Pfister on Saturday in Bern without discussion.
Global call for active neutrality launched from Geneva
This content was published on
A number of players have launched a worldwide appeal for active neutrality in Geneva at a time when the major powers are taking a tougher line. The city is competing with Vienna to attract an international congress on this issue in 2026.
This content was published on
The M'Tongé gorilla has died at Basel Zoo at the age of 26. The dominant male had to be euthanised on Friday morning owing to a parasite infection.
This content was published on
Swiss Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter, who holds the rotating Swiss presidency this year, has been invited to Paris by French President Emmanuel Macron.
Swiss canton coordinates donations for landslide destroyed village
This content was published on
The Swiss canton of Valais to form committee to coordinate CHF 57.4 million donations for village destroyed by a landslide.
Body of Blatten landslide victim found and identified
This content was published on
The body of 64-year-old man, who has been missing since part of the Brich glacier collapsed on the Swiss village of Blatten has been found.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss sign agreement to build China’s first zero-energy building
This content was published on
The project called “Swiss House Sunlon” is backed by Swiss companies and will be the first zero energy dwelling in China. The technology used in the building will come from the Swiss cleantech sector and is meant to serve as a showcase for Swiss innovation in the country. The agreement was signed on Thursday in…
The enigma explorations of Bruce Nauman at Schaulager
This content was published on
An ambitious retrospective of the elusive American artist runs alongside Art Basel and showcases works that trouble, amuse, shock and delight.
This content was published on
Each year, some half a million people die of malaria, many of them children. Switzerland is a world leader in research to combat the disease.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.