(23.10.2024) Swiss SMEs are conducting a significant portion of their business internationally. A third of them generate more than three-quarters of their revenue abroad, according to the Swiss International Entrepreneurship Survey (SIES) conducted by the School of Management Fribourg (HEG-FR).
The SIES report, which analyzed the activities of 476 small and medium-sized Swiss enterprises, found that these businesses maintain commercial ties with an average of 11.2 foreign countries, primarily in Western and Southern Europe.
The researchers categorized the surveyed companies into two groups: those with limited international presence and those focused on global markets. The results show that the latter group often develops two or three distinct strategies to expand beyond Swiss borders. These companies also tend to be more proactive and innovative than those concentrating on the domestic market.
Since 2019, internationalized SMEs have increasingly prioritized digitalization. "Unlike in 2019, when online commerce was mainly used for prospecting in Western Europe, e-commerce is now being widely adopted outside Europe, particularly in North America," says Pascal Wild, co-author of the report.
Over the past 15 years, the number of micro-enterprises – those with fewer than ten employees – has risen sharply. Despite their smaller size, these businesses are not hindered in their international growth. Nearly half of them operate in more than ten countries and across three different regions worldwide.
Last modification 22.10.2024
