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How competitive are competitiveness rankings?

This content was published on Jul 1, 2013 After a quarter of a century, the Swiss-based IMD’s competitiveness list has become a coveted prize for countries around the world that view the top spot as the business world’s equivalent of an Oscar. A move in the right direction could persuade firms to invest in a country. This ritual was again on display with…

‘If it weren’t for my wife…’

This content was published on Jun 30, 2013 The stories soon start pouring out; a born communicator, he has plenty of tales to tell, about his childhood in the village of Pigniu – population about 85 at the time – his long teaching career, his involvement in music, the books he has written. “But I have to tell you, I couldn’t have done…

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US tax cheat deal mired in legal minefield

This content was published on Jun 29, 2013 The US wants Swiss banks to hand over information of their US business dealings, including the names of employees and third-party lawyers and asset managers. Finding a legally compliant solution was complicated by parliament’s rejection on June 19 of the so-called Lex USA bill which aimed to enable the process. Since then, the government has…

The Swiss vote more than any other country

This content was published on Jun 28, 2013 In most democracies, citizens only turn out to vote for elections – presidential, parliamentary or local. It is the representatives they choose on these occasions who take political decisions on their behalf. That’s indirect democracy. In an indirect democracy it is unusual for citizens to be asked to vote on specific issues. One exception in…

‘Lax’ UBS France hit by €10 million fine

This content was published on Jun 26, 2013 UBS’s French unit has been put under formal investigation in Paris for alleged complicity in suspected illegal business practices in France. It is being investigated by the French judiciary, which opened a procedure in April 2012, on whether it offered potential French clients investments that were allegedly designed to evade taxes. The Autorité de contôle…

Dubrovnik surrounded by enemies

This content was published on Jun 25, 2013 On October 1, 1991, telephone and power lines as well as water supplies were cut off. Offshore, Serb warships blocked all access to the city. The worst fighting took place on December 6, when the surrounding forces launched around 600 grenades into the old town to force locals to flee. In early 1992, fierce fighting…

Post Office bank enters brave new world

This content was published on Jun 25, 2013 The legal conversion of PostFinance into a public limited company has partially met its desires to operate on an equal footing with commercial banks following lengthy political debate over many years. Parliament approved the plan to grant PostFinance independent status earlier this month. However, the company remains under the control of the state-owned Swiss Post…

The boon and bane of pesticides

This content was published on Jun 25, 2013 For about three weeks in May, extensive rape fields transform large rural areas in France, Germany and Britain into yellow. German farmers alone grow about five million tons of rapeseed used for edible oil, fuel and fodder on 1.5 million hectares of arable land. Rapeseed oil is not only the most popular nutritional oil in…

Union criticises Swiss executive salaries

This content was published on Jun 24, 2013 Travail.Suisse studied the annual reports of 27 international companies based in Switzerland and calculated the ratio between the highest and the lowest salary within the same company. The ranking is headed by Roche Chief Executive Severin Schwan, who earned CHF15.7 million ($16.8 million) in 2012. That is 261 times more than the lowest paid employee…

Where Google stores your data

This content was published on Jun 24, 2013 To store the information that drives its business, Google has set up so-called “server farms” in a range of locations. Large amounts of water are needed to cool the servers. Google revealed in 2011 how energy was used to power its web services – 260 million watts continuously across the globe, or roughly a quarter…

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How competitive are competitiveness rankings?

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‘If it weren’t for my wife…’

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US tax cheat deal mired in legal minefield

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The Swiss vote more than any other country

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‘Lax’ UBS France hit by €10 million fine

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Dubrovnik surrounded by enemies

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Post Office bank enters brave new world

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The boon and bane of pesticides

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Union criticises Swiss executive salaries

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Where Google stores your data

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