SME Study 2017
The current Swiss SME study with figures from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (SFSO) is now the 5th edition of this study series. The result confirms that the number of businesses with fewer than 10 employees continues to dominate the Swiss corporate landscape. This year, for the first time, the age of SME management was included. By doing so, the authors hope to provide additional added value.
The latest edition of the Swiss SME Study 2017, which includes figures collected by the BfS in 2014, shows that it is not large companies with 250 or more employees that dominate the Swiss corporate landscape, but so-called microenterprises with fewer than 10 employees (92.4%). Swiss small and medium-sized enterprises (99.8% of all companies) employ a total of around two-thirds of the workforce of market-based companies.
Despite their dominance, it would be wrong to lump all SMEs together. Despite similar company sizes, there are huge differences. For example, the hairdresser, the bakery, the painter or the advertising agency around the corner are just as much SMEs as high-tech global market leaders in medical technology or drone manufacturing.
Switzerland has many individual companies
In terms of legal forms, it is striking that most SMEs are organized as sole proprietorships. In agriculture in particular, just under 88% of SMEs are sole proprietorships. SMEs in the industrial and service sectors are often organized as stock corporations or limited liability companies. As the size of the company increases, the number of sole proprietorships and the number of limited liability companies tends to decrease.
Managing directors are around 50 years old
For the first time, this study took a closer look at the age of management. The Swiss Labour Force Survey (SLFS) conducted by the Swiss Federal Office was used for this purpose. The result shows that across all industries, the average age of management is around 50. The managing directors of microenterprises are older on average than those in small and medium-sized enterprises. Thus, managers in microenterprises are almost 49 years old on average, and managing directors are 50 years old.
In companies with more than 100 employees, managers are on average 44 years old and company directors 47. A look across borders shows that the SME share is similar in most European countries, but there are differences in the number of employees. For example, large companies in the UK and Germany employ proportionately more people than those in Switzerland.
The KMU-HSG and OBT have been dealing with the concerns and challenges of SMEs for decades, be it in research or in entrepreneurial practice. This series of studies, based on the latest BfS figures, is intended to offer added value to entrepreneurs and society by providing an overview of SMEs in Switzerland and in international comparison.
The upcoming SME figures from the BfS at the end of this year are eagerly awaited, as they will show the partial impact of the removal of the Swiss franc-euro floor on SMEs.
The Swiss SME study can be used to learn more about these Site can be downloaded.
