Swedes pride themselves on their cooperative, egalitarian spirit in the workplace. In theory at least, issues of status and hierarchy are considered to be of far less importance than in many other countries, with the majority of people using their first names in the work place. Elaborate deference is definitely out of fashion and the management style, in a similar style to Swedish government practice, tends to be consensual rather than authoritarian.
Since Stockholm is the capital, the city sees itself as setting the tone and pace for the rest of the country. Nevertheless, however relaxed Swedes are about power and authority, they are strict timekeepers and punctuality is expected for both work and play. Businesspeople are expected to dress smartly, with suits being the norm, although more casual attire is favoured in the new industries such as IT, media and internet businesses - here you can generally get away with wearing jeans and a shirt. English is widely - and well - spoken in most circles. Business cards are commonly used.
Swedes also tend to go straight to the point; personal chat is generally put to one side until the real business is done and dusted. Most business socialising is done away from the home, at bars and restaurants. Dinners tend to be quite boozy affairs, although at lunches water is often substituted for alcohol.
Office hours:Flexible working hours are a widespread practice with lunch between 1200 and 1300. Normal office hours are 0800-1600.
Economy:Sweden boasts one of Europe's most advanced industrial economies and one of the highest standards of social welfare in the world. It is also the headquarters of a relatively large number of world-class multinational companies (Ericsson, IKEA, H&M and Volvo among them). A prolonged period of peace, which included a policy of neutrality during both World Wars, has contributed much to its economic development.
Well over half of the country is covered by forest, which supplies the raw material for the country’s wood-based industries (paper, wood pulp and finished products such as furniture), which account for 20% of Swedish material exports. The agricultural (mainly in the south) and fisheries sector is, however, fairly insignificant today, accounting for just 1% of GDP.
Sweden has a strong industrial sector that produces a number of major exports including machinery, vehicles, office and telecommunications equipment, iron and steel, wood products and chemicals. The country is rich in mineral resources, which include 15% of the world's known uranium deposits and large deposits of iron ore, copper, lead and zinc.
As with all countries, Sweden was affected by the drastic global downturn during 2008/9. The annual GDP growth rate for 2008 was estimated to be just 0.7%, although figures have since improved. In common with other major economies, the Swedish government was forced into launching a major banking sector rescue package.
GDP:US$456 billion (2010)
Main exports:Machinery, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp, wood and chemicals.
Main imports:Machinery, petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel.
Main trading partners:Germany, Denmark, Norway, UK and Finland.
Public telephones have become increasingly scarce in Sweden as mobile use has increased. Most pay phones are now found in public places such as railway stations, airports and hospitals. Coins are rarely accepted; users will need to buy Telia phonecards, which are available at most Pressbyrån shops.
Mobile phone:Mobile phone coverage is available across most of the country, although it can be sporadic in very isolated or extremely rural areas. Most international networks also have arrangements with local providers.
Internet:Sweden is one of the world's most net-savvy countries, with a very high proportion of the population online. Wi-Fi is widespread in most towns and cities, with many restaurants, hotels and public spaces offering access. Internet cafes can be found in most major urban areas.
Post:Post boxes are yellow. Stamps and aerograms are on sale at post offices and also at most bookstalls and stationers. Airmail within Europe usually takes between two to three days, but can take significantly longer if posting to a destination outside of the EU.
Post office hours:Mon-Fri, 0800-1900; Sat, 0800-1400. Some branches may be closed on Saturday during July. All Swedish post offices are closed on Sunday.
Media:Freedom of the press has been enshrined in Swedish law since 1776. The press is funded by a combination of government cash, private money and taxpayer-provided levies, with public TV stations funded by a license fee in the same way as the UK’s BBC. Media organisations are regulated by the Swedish Press Council, which deals with media-related complaints directed to it by the public-facing Press Ombudsman.
The Swedish public enjoys a wide variety of public and commercial broadcast services, although until relatively recently, public TV and radio had a near-monopoly of the airwaves. Digital terrestrial broadcasting was launched by SVT in 1999, in the face of much opposition from critics, including Social Democratic MP Maj Britt Theorin, calling for a prohibition on private ownership of satellite dishes. Swedes are also among the top consumers of newspapers in the world.
Press:The provinces have their own newspapers which are widely read in their respective regions. The major dailies are confined largely to the capital and include such titles as Aftonbladet, Dagens Nyheter, Expressen and Svenska Dagbladet. Many papers are financed by political parties but independence and freedom of the press is firmly maintained. The Local (www.thelocal.se) provides English-language online news.
Television:Sveriges Televison (SVT) operates SVT1, SVT 2, SVT24 (news channel) and SVT Europa. Other channels include TV4, TV3, Kana, 5 and ZTV; the latter two are only available through satellite and cable.
Radio:Sveriges Radio operates the main P1, P2, P3 and P4 stations, while Radio Sweden International broadcasts in a number of languages, including English. Rix FM, NRJ, Mix Megapol and Radio Match are among the biggest of the commercial networks.
