1. Align your business goals with strategic growth objectives. A sound corporate strategy is the basis for all growth. Companies that want to grow strategically need a razor-sharp, well-thought-out strategy. Their M&A activities must follow the strategy - not the other way around.
2. Find and evaluate targets that meet your acquisition criteria. Acquisition criteria are derived from your corporate strategy. They allow you to compare the different targets, i.e. the companies that could be considered for acquisition, so that you can then pursue the deals that are most likely to achieve your growth targets.
3. Articulate the intended benefits of the acquisition, and plan each intermediate goal to be achieved to realize the overarching transactional benefit. Set out in writing the overriding business objective you want to achieve with the acquisition. For example: double sales in order to achieve higher earnings Or: open up new markets in order to secure the long-term existence of your company. Or: reduce production costs to remain competitive. In the second step, formulate the intermediate goals that need to be achieved in order to reach the overall goal.
4. Form an acquisition and integration team. Together, define the KPIs that measurably lead to the targeted increase in value. Acquiring and integrating a company requires a powerful M&A and PMI (Mergers & Acquisitions and Post Merger Integration) team pulling together. Involve your executives in acquisition and integration planning. Let them Key Performance Indicator (KPI), in other words, define key figures that make the degree of target achievement measurable.
5. Provide clarity regarding the operational model to be applied post-acquisition. Define: How should your current company and the acquired company work together in the future? For example, which business unit develops produces and sells which products? What will the processes look like in the future? For example, in sales? In the service area? Which personnel, which IT is required for this? Where will personnel management and controlling be located?
6. Develop a roadmap for integration that is linked one-to-one to transaction benefits and intermediate goals. Bring together the objectives, KPIs and measures and plan the detailed steps. Determine the responsibilities and deadlines. This roadmap is your management tool and the guide for implementing the project.
7. Make sure you have enough resources (including experienced ones) for planning and implementation. Once you have completed all these tasks, don't let your project fail due to a lack of manpower. Plan realistically for the necessary resources so that day-to-day business can continue unhindered.
8. Create a communications plan that sets the right tone on the day the acquisition becomes public and the day it becomes a reality, among other things. Projects for corporate acquisitions in which companies do not succeed in getting the majority of their team committed to the planned project fail - despite all the preparation and planning. Communication is the salt in the soup: it helps to avoid resistance and to create a spirit of optimism, i.e. the necessary motivation. In addition to the timing, the dose must be right, as must the content.
9. Implement your plan consistently. However, react flexibly to unforeseen events without losing sight of your goals. In M&A and PMI processes, you can't predict and plan for everything. Deviations from the plan sometimes have to be. Communicate this awareness to your team as well. Then you will find a solution together in each case.
10. Establish incentive systems that serve to generate value. Companies often set the wrong incentives in M&A and PMI projects; these often result in the parties involved having competing interests and different goals. This is where many M&A projects fail. When it comes to performance incentives, don't focus on closing the deal, but on making the PMI process a success and generating the value you hope for.

To the author:

Stephan Jansen is Managing Director of the M&A and PMI consultancy Beyond the Deal Germany, Frankfurt. The consulting firm primarily supports medium-sized companies in corporate acquisitions and company disposals; it also helps them to ensure the value of the deals through optimized transaction processes.

Not only Switzerland is likely to see a trend reversal with stagnating insolvencies in 2017, but also the global corporate scene: In its current study "Insolvencies: The tip of the iceberg", credit insurer Euler Hermes concludes that the number of global insolvencies is likely to increase by 1% in 2017. The main drivers of this increase are negative forecasts for Latin America (+12% insolvencies in 2017), Africa (+9%), Asia-Pacific (+6%) and North America (+1%), it says. Most worrying is the trend toward significantly rising losses from bankruptcies, according to Ludovic Subran, chief economist at Euler Hermes Group. "In the first three quarters of 2016, we recorded 45% more large insolvencies than in the same period last year. This is creating a negative snowball effect that will continue in 2017." Although the global economy is growing by about 2.8%, the growth is not strong enough to prevent an increase in insolvencies. Global GDP growth will also remain below the 3% mark in the long term.

Switzerland: After rising number of bankruptcies in 2016, stagnation in 2017

With the floating of the Swiss franc exchange rate against the euro in January 2015 and the resulting appreciation shock for the export industry, the phase of declining corporate bankruptcies ended in Switzerland. The trend of rising corporate bankruptcies continued in 2016: Following an increase of 7% in 2015, the number of bankruptcies rose by a further 5% by the end of November 2016. French-speaking Switzerland, Ticino and eastern Switzerland were particularly affected. In central Switzerland, however, the numbers are declining. "For 2017, Euler Hermes expects the number of bankruptcies in Switzerland to remain stable. After a two-year adjustment and consolidation phase, the export industry has adjusted better to the continuing strength of the Swiss franc," says Stefan Ruf, CEO of Euler Hermes Switzerland. "The overall economic outlook is also having a stabilizing effect on the number of corporate bankruptcies. However, the development in the individual sectors must be viewed in a differentiated manner: The construction industry continues to be characterized by a high bankruptcy rate. In addition, we also classify the metal industry and retail trade as particularly critical."

Increasing risk of bankruptcy also among important Swiss trading partners

Insolvencies are rising in two of Switzerland's five most important trading partners: China (+10%) and the USA (+1%). In Germany, they are stagnating and in France (-7%) and Italy (-5%), on the other hand, they are declining. "In the U.S., we expect a slight increase in insolvencies despite the financial injections announced for the national economy," says Ludovic Subran. "Not all sectors will benefit from the announced measures. The appreciation of the U.S. dollar is mainly hitting American exporters. At the same time, the stricter monetary policy is hurting all industries, not just those with particularly high debt ratios, such as mechanical engineering. With the protectionist measures announced, the metals sector is likely to be one of the winners, while the textile sector will be one of the losers, with high import duties of up to 32%."

In the emerging markets, where Swiss exporters also perceive growth opportunities, there are also signs of a significant increase in defaults: Still ahead of China (+10%) in 2017 are Brazil and Singapore with +15% each, both of which are heavily dependent on the Chinese market.

Reasons for insolvencies and rising losses vary locally and globally
According to Euler Hermes, the reasons for the turnaround in insolvencies are the weak global economy, declining growth in world trade, strong price competition and volatile currencies. As a result, sales and margins are coming under increasing pressure. As a result, some sectors, especially retail and trade, lack the necessary financial strength for investments, for example in digitization. In other sectors, companies are struggling with overcapacities and a corresponding drop in prices (e.g. raw materials, steel). And, "Increasing protectionist measures and trade barriers are making exports even more complex and expensive in many places," says Ruf. "This could be a decisive factor shaping the global economy in 2017."

Source: www.eulerhermes.ch

Students who complete a bachelor's degree in business administration at a university of applied sciences generate a cumulative gross lifetime income that is around 1.2 million francs higher than students who complete a commercial degree without a bachelor's degree. This is shown in the study "Returns to education from Swiss UAS degrees - an empirical analysis of business and services degree programs" by Sarah Nieberle, Urs Dürsteler and Toni Schmid, which builds on the bachelor thesis of HWZ graduate Sarah Nieberle.

Significant return on education thanks to FH Bachelor's degree

The results were determined using five comprehensive calculation models. For example, the gross annual income was calculated, which is 58.2 percent higher with a bachelor's degree from a university of applied sciences than with only a commercial degree. The gross return on education over a lifetime was also calculated. This is around CHF 1.2 million. Based on the entire working life, this is 46.5 percent more income for Bachelor's graduates than for KV graduates without a Bachelor's degree.

First-time calculations for the business and services degree programs

The study assumes that students start a bachelor's degree program two years after completing their apprenticeship. The program then lasts three years for full-time students or four years for part-time students. The average workload alongside the studies is 55 percent. Possible real wage development was not taken into account, as this is not significantly relevant in a total time frame of 45 years.

The figures on which the study is based were provided by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office and the FH Switzerland wage study. The publication by Nieberle/Dürsteler/Schmid is the first empirical preparation of returns to education for UAS degrees in business and services and shows that a bachelor's degree at a UAS can be a worthwhile investment in the future for commercial school graduates.

Source: HWZ

The study is available as a book in the Haupt Publishing House (ISBN: 978-3-258-08012-3) and can be purchased in the publisher's online store at a price of Fr. 29.

This time, eleven projects have been nominated for the Marketing Trophy, which is awarded in three categories. The winners will be announced at the Marketing Day on March 7, 2017. The top-class, interdisciplinary jury led by President Dr. Peter Felser has selected the most innovative and successful projects from the more than 40 submissions. In the eyes of the jurors, the following have impressed with a high degree of innovation, consistent implementation and the best results and have been nominated for the Marketing Trophy 2017:

Category "Large enterprises

• Credit Suisse AG with the project "Viva - Access All Areas". Involved agency: Havas Worldwide, Zurich.
• Feldschlösschen Getränke AG with the project "Feldschlösschen Braufrisch - A new beer for Switzerland". Involved agency: WIRZ, Zurich.
• Mazda (Suisse) SA with the project "Mazda Speed Dating - The Dating Revolution". Involved agency: JWT/Fabrikant, Zurich.
• Migros Genossenschaftsbund with the project "Alnatura". Involved agency: ROD Kommunikation AG.
• Raiffeisen Unternehmerzentrum AG with the project "Establishment of Raiffeisen Entrepreneur Centers as a marketing tool for corporate banking". Involved agency: TOMCAT AG.

SME" category

• Appenzeller cheese with the project "The recipe remains secret - sustainable integrated brand management". Involved agency: Contexta AG, Bern.
• Switzerland Tourism and the Grand Tour of Switzerland Association with the "Grand Tour of Switzerland" project. Involved agency: Havas Worldwide, Zurich.
• Zurich Chamber Orchestra (ZKO) with the project "Great Feelings 2015 / 2016". Involved agency: Havas Worldwide, Zurich.

Category "Non Profit Organization

• AERO SWISS with the project "Brand and Marketing". Involved agency: skipp communications AG.
• Pro Juventute with the project "Awareness campaign: cyber bullying & sexting". Involved agency: TBWA Switzerland.
• ZSC Lions / ZLE Betriebs AG with the project "Key players (voting campaign for the referendum won in the city of Zurich for the construction of a new ice hockey arena)". Involved agency: Serviceplan Public Relations Suisse AG.

Outlook for Marketing Day 17

The next Marketing Day, during which the Marketing Trophy will be awarded, will take place for the first time with a new event concept: Under the motto "The dead thread - digital turns everything upside down", Marketing Day at the KKL Luzern will focus on digital transformation. As an integrative part of the Swiss Marketing Forum with "digitalization" as the annual theme, Marketing Day brings people, brands and the future together in a new way. The usual high-caliber keynotes will now be supplemented by workshops, master classes and talking circles, which will focus on exchange, networking and practical learning. As in previous years, the event will be moderated by Susanne Wille, reporter and presenter for the political magazine Rundschau.

www.marketingtag.ch

In the presentations and discussions by high-ranking representatives from politics, business, sports and society, global topics such as the newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump, Putin, China, Europe with Brexit and the worldwide populist trends dominated in front of a sold-out audience. A highlight at the end was offered by the new FC Bayern president Uli Hoeness, who in an interview with moderator Stephan Klapproth spoke emphatically about personal and professional successes and failures as well as his management strategy at the leading German football club.

Europe must find itself anew

In the midst of a Europe in upheaval, an uncertain political and economic development in the USA and China, and in the age of rapid digitalization, Switzerland must find its way again. The speakers at the 15th Alpine Symposium in Interlaken agreed on this. Belgian politician Guy Verhofstadt, Brexit chief negotiator and candidate for the Presidency of the European Parliament, worried as a convinced European that there is no unified view of developments in the EU. And he openly admitted: "Our institutions in Europe are not made for crisis situations!" Verhofstadt saw the UK's exit "as the mother of all divorces," but also as a great opportunity to reinvent the EU as an institution. In the current situation and with Trump as U.S. president, a reorganization is not only a possibility, but a necessity, the committed politician demanded.

For the well-known Middle East correspondent Ulrich Tilgner, the failure of the West in the Middle East with U.S. interventions, combined with the flight into traditions and the past there, has strengthened terrorism and encouraged the emergence of the Islamic State (IS). He made clear that fundamentalist proselytizing and related terrorist ideologies are funded by Saudi Arabia. In Tilgner's view, terrorism cannot be fought by military means, but only with economic and political aid on the ground. In particular, he accuses the Obama administration of having "failed to understand the lesson". He has too often relied on the wrong partners, because partnerships with governments of states where terrorism is gaining a foothold are partnerships with precisely those who create terrorism in the first place, according to Tilgner.

Presidential one-man show and turning away from Europe

SRF presenter and former US correspondent Arthur H. Honegger painted a bleak picture in view of Donald Trump's presidency. He said his voters wanted things to come crashing down, and that the one-man show he apparently intends to pull off even as president has already shaken confidence in institutions. "I'm not particularly optimistic about the next four years," Honegger said. For stock market and finance specialist Dirk Mueller, Trump's election was anything but an accident. The stock market was not unhappy about the election, he said. Müller saw opportunities in the announced tax breaks and government investments that would determine the first half of 2017. US companies are to be lured with low taxes to bring their billions parked abroad back to America. However, he saw major risks in the global advance of nationalists as a reaction to globalization, as well as a high inflation risk and rising interest rates already in the second half of the year.

Monika Rühl, Chairwoman of the economiesuisse Executive Board, also fears that the USA will turn away from Europe and that there will be a tendency toward political populism accompanied by economic protectionism. She made it clear that in view of Brexit, Switzerland would also be affected if there were a structural crisis and economic slump in the UK, an important trading partner. For a strong Swiss economy, Rühl called for a "yes" to tax reform, stable relations with the EU, and a viable solution in the area of pension provision.

Klaus Wowereit, the former mayor of Berlin, was more optimistic. He expressed satisfaction with his 14 years in government in Berlin. From a high level of debt and a subsidy mentality that was prevalent everywhere, he said, he had managed, through a radical program and creative people, to bring Berlin to the point where it could now invest under its own steam in the face of financial surpluses. For the development of larger communities, it is important to form a society that is free. If you allow discrimination, you will not get the creative forces.

More Magic Moments at the Alpine Symposium

Under the motto "Think big. Create future." organizer Oliver Stoldt invited entrepreneurial people to present their ideas to an enthusiastic audience from business and society for the 15th time. A massive load of Swissness was presented by passionate entrepreneur Céline Renaud, Sunrise CEO Olaf Swantee, founder and CEO of pom+, Dr. Peter Staub, and CSS board member Hans Künzle at the company talk. Successful photographer and philanthropist Hannes Schmid, who created the Marlboro Man, photographed hundreds of pop and rock stars and paints hyper-realistically, presented an impressive show of his work.

In its anniversary edition, the Alpine Symposium again offered the best opportunities for valuable personal contacts, business, client relations and social presence. Organizer Oliver Stoldt and conference manager Janin Heukamp succeeded in creating numerous "magic moments" at the innovative conference with innovation strategist Anders Sörman-Nilsson or successful profiler Suzanne Grieger-Langer. She has made it her business to identify the real "whistle blowers" in companies. The audience had to smile about the following dialog between moderator Stephan Klapproth and the speaker: Klapproth: "Where is the whistle quotient highest?" - Grieger-Langer: "In government agencies and corporations." - Klapproth: "50:50?"- Grieger-Langer: "No comment." Furthermore, whatchado founder Ali Mahlodji called for investing in today's 15-year-olds. After all, they will be the new adults in 10 years' time and will have to solve our problems one day. And last but not least, the two athletes Silvan Zurbriggen and Joey Kelly impressed the audience at this year's Alpine Symposium with their reports on how goals can be achieved with willpower and iron discipline.

Link to the event

The topics of "Industry 4.0" and "digitalization of business processes" will continue to occupy manufacturing SMEs on a massive scale in 2017: Companies are increasingly starting to analyze large volumes of data with the help of business intelligence, are relying on the Internet of Things and are using cloud solutions as well as mobile apps. A key role in SME manufacturing companies is played by the ERP system as the backbone of the digital transformation. Based on the results of expert forecasts, studies and trend assessments, the software company proALPHA sees eight decisive ERP trends in German SMEs for 2017, which can, however, also be transferred to Switzerland overall:

1. Cloud solutions are changing the IT landscape for good. The cloud is being used more and more frequently by medium-sized companies. According to a trend survey by the German industry association VDMA, more than 80 percent of the companies surveyed now attach important significance to this topic. With ERP from the business cloud, medium-sized companies gain scalability. For example, when IT resources are not keeping pace with growth or smaller foreign branches need to be connected quickly. The cloud not only helps to keep IT investments low. It also offers a higher level of security than most smaller SMEs can guarantee today in their own data center. More flexibility and customizability are made possible by offers with ERP hosting or rental models, also in addition to the ERP system in the company's own data center.
2. ERP is the backbone for digital transformation. According to a Bitkom survey, one in three German companies is already using ERP solutions, and a further 21 percent are planning to introduce them. proALPHA sees ERP software as the new integration hub for Industry 4.0. This is evident in a number of successful Industrie 4.0 projects of customers, in which the ERP system forms the backbone. Industry 4.0 is not just a production issue. Logistics, assembly, development, maintenance and service benefit equally from the networking of systems and the automation of processes.
3. Mobile applications are playing a more important role in the industrial environment. Greater mobility increases productivity in sales, warehousing, service and manufacturing. It enables flexible working, regardless of location. However, for processes to function optimally, mobile technology must adapt to the processes and not vice versa. Adaptable web applications that are directly networked with the ERP system ensure greater flexibility and investment security while at the same time reducing maintenance and servicing costs.
4. Document management becomes an integrated part of ERP solutions. When relevant documents are available to all employees involved in the shortest possible time, business processes run particularly quickly and smoothly. Therefore, a document management (DMS) module should always be an integrated part of an ERP solution. All e-mails, receipts, invoices, drawings and other documents can be assigned to a business case via drag & drop and archived with it. The DMS module ensures audit-proof archiving of documents in accordance with the GoBD (principles for the proper keeping and storage of books, records and documents in electronic form and for data access).
5. Analyze even large amounts of data with business intelligence in ERP. According to the above-mentioned VDMA survey, the topic of business intelligence (BI) is already of medium to very high importance for every second machine manufacturer. Service and maintenance are leading the way with an application share of 10 percent. Production (8 percent) and logistics (4 percent) follow in the next places. "The application share, which is still comparatively low today, will increase significantly in the next two years, with around a quarter of respondents planning corresponding implementations by 2018," the study states. Since managers or administrators need complete and up-to-date data to make quick and correct decisions, an ERP system needs BI tools that can be operated intuitively. From monthly reports with key business figures to complex ad-hoc evaluations of large quantities of machine data, this provides well-founded answers for every decision-making situation in medium-sized companies.
6. The integration of CRM and ERP continues to progress. Around one third of the SMEs in Germany surveyed for an international study by the market researchers at IDC now use systems for both ERP and customer relationship management (CRM). There are advantages to linking them - from the consistent and more efficient design of processes to the avoidance of redundancies due to duplicate data maintenance. An integrated CRM module enables a 360-degree view of customers and prospects and supports their individual support from the offer to after-sales service. As a central platform, the ERP system provides all departments with consistent information in real time for systematic customer relationship management. Comprehensive CRM functionalities, including marketing campaigns or contact and sales opportunity management, bring efficiency to the processes. Based on competitive information, forecasts and sales controlling, all customer relationships can be managed with foresight.
7. The Internet of Things places new demands on ERP. The Internet of Things (IoT) is an integral part of many Industrie 4.0 projects. According to the study "Competitive Factor Analytics in the Internet of Things" by the University of Potsdam, 15 percent of the companies surveyed have already integrated IoT applications into their existing processes to increase efficiency. The main area of application is process monitoring, where 39 percent of the companies already have concrete projects underway. The hardware required for implementation, such as barcodes, sensors and RFID chips, has long since ceased to be a cost factor. The big challenge, however, lies in the correct collection and analysis of the data generated so that it can be used productively in supply chain and manufacturing processes.
8. Connection of suppliers and customers via a web portal. Industry 4.0 does not stop at the company's own boundaries, but also networks partners, suppliers and customers in addition to the processes in the company's own factory, according to the current study "Digital Transformation of the Manufacturing Industry" by the consulting firm KPMG. Here, too, the ERP system plays a key role. For example, customers, suppliers, representatives and the company's own employees can be easily connected via a web browser. With web portals that are fully integrated into the ERP system, this is possible regardless of end device, platform and location. Every authorized user can access data from the complete ERP solution in real time and only receive the information they need for their work.

Source: proALPHA

The  von Rundstedt Labor Market Barometer covers the whole of Switzerland and is based on information from 746 employees affected by redundancies and from 142 companies that had to make redundancies in Switzerland in 2016. It therefore provides an interesting picture of the mood on the Swiss labor market as a whole in 2016. The most important findings are presented below at a glance:

1. first relaxation among the over 50s (Ü50)

After the polemic and public debate surrounding discrimination against older employees on the labor market increased sharply, there appears to be an easing of the situation on the labor market. The proportion of those over 50 among those made redundant fell significantly in 2016, from 38% to just 27%. This is the first time in several years that this figure has been below the reference level of the Ü50 share of the labor force of 30.5%. This suggests that relatively fewer Ü50 were affected by layoffs in 2016 than other age groups. This sign of easing is encouraging and can probably be explained by the fact that the sometimes heated and emotional public discussion in the press, politics and on social media is beginning to have an effect. Numerous practical examples prove that employers are increasingly looking for gentle alternatives for older employees.

2. more and more women affected by layoffs

Despite calls for more women in the workforce, proportionately more women than men were affected by a dismissal in 2016 than in the previous year. The proportion of women among those dismissed increased significantly in 2016, from 38% in the previous year to 46%. This figure is right on the reference level of women's share of the labor force of about 46%. The rapid increase is nevertheless surprising, as a large proportion of the female workforce still works part-time and is therefore not the primary target group for outplacement services.

3. increasing polarization between winners and losers on the labor market

The duration of the search for a new job is not the same for all employment groups. It no longer depends primarily on the age group, but rather on the personal profile of a worker. While the search duration for good and sought-after profiles fell significantly from 5.2 weeks (2015) to 4.3 weeks in 2016, it increased from 9.8 weeks (2015) to 11.2 weeks for more difficult profiles. This means that it is no longer primarily the age group, but rather the employability that determines whether someone is a winner or loser on the labor market. This is mainly due to the "Zero Gap" policy of employers to consider only exactly matching employee profiles. If a profile is in trend and in the market, the job search goes very fast. In the opposite case, the job search proves to be very difficult and lengthy.

4. employers hardly allow mobility between industries and functions

The same cause of the "zero gap" leads to another phenomenon on the labor market. Although experts are appealing to the workforce's willingness to change and agility in order to overcome the structural change caused by digitization, it is virtually impossible for workers willing to change to switch industries or their traditional functional area. Industry mobility declined markedly in 2016 and now stands at 16%, down from 32% (2015). This is not due to employees' willingness to change, but rather to the "zero gap" behavior of employers. The situation is similar with regard to functional mobility, according to which only one successful change of function was completed in 2016, after 24% in the previous year. This development will lead to greater economic challenges in view of the digitalization era.

5 No discernible wage pressure in high-wage Switzerland

Although employers and business associations frequently complain that Switzerland's high wage costs are becoming an increasing competitive disadvantage as a location, this does not really seem to be having an impact on wage developments in Switzerland. It turns out that wages in Switzerland remain more or less stable despite pressure. Even in sectors that are under particularly great pressure (banking sector, industry), salaries remain at roughly the same level. It can be observed that in 2016 the re-entry wage of an unemployed person after a termination is on average 8% lower than the previous wage. At the same time, new hires who are directly poached by another employer achieve on average a 10% higher starting wage than with the previous employer. In sum, these two developments balance each other out and thus keep the overall wage level stable.

6. social media - hype without proof of success

Everyone is talking about the emerging importance of social media. While it is obvious that social media (e.g. LinkedIn, Xing) are gaining a lot of importance in the job market. For example, social media is increasingly being used to gather information and as a distribution channel for advertised jobs and resumes. However, social media remain virtually insignificant for the search success of job seekers. In 2016, for example, only just 4% of applicants effectively found a new job via social media. The most important and successful search channel for job seekers continues to be the personal network, whose importance even increased significantly in 2016, from 42% in the previous year to 51%. It is also worth noting that headhunters and recruiters are continuously losing importance as a search channel. They now account for only 9% in 2016. The recruitment industry is increasingly becoming a commodity business with fewer and fewer exclusive mandates and more and more success mandates, with prices and margins falling more and more.

Source: von Rundstedt & Partner Switzerland AG

The change at the top of the HWZ Hochschule für Wirtschaft Zürich initiated a year ago has now taken place. Prof. Dr. Peter Petrin has taken up the position of Rector as successor to Prof. Dr. Jacques F. Bischoff.

Jacques F. Bischoff has led the HWZ since 2005, during which time the school has grown from around 1,000 students to more than 2,200. The significant expansion of the continuing education program was a major contributing factor. "After 12 years as rector, I am happy to step back a little," says Bischoff, who knows that his successor is in good hands: "With Prof. Dr. Peter Petrin, we have found an experienced and proven personality as his successor."

Peter Petrin (50) has successfully managed and developed the SIB Swiss Institute of Business Administration over the past ten years. He holds a doctorate in business administration, a licentiate in business administration from the University of St. Gallen (HSG) and several years of experience in various management positions at the AKAD Group (now Kalaidos). "It is my goal to successfully continue the excellent work of Jacques Bischoff. As a university with private sponsorship, I have the privilege of taking over a very special institution, the HWZ, which has successfully held its own in the market for 30 years," Petrin is pleased to say.

Source and further information: www.fh-hwz.ch

Six major IT and technology trends predicted by IT company Cisco for 2017 and the future. Companies should therefore also keep an eye on these in the short term.

1. Growth in Internet data traffic requires even more broadband: By 2020, global traffic over the Internet will be about 95 times greater than it was in 2005, predicts the Cisco Visual Networking Index 2015-2020. This growth will result in more Internet users (4.1 billion in 2020), more Internet-connected devices, higher broadband speeds, and greater video usage. In 2020, 71 percent of all IP traffic will be generated by non-PC devices such as smartphones, tablets and smart TVs. Digitization and the Internet of Things (IoT) are also driving stronger IP traffic. Applications such as video surveillance, smart meters, digital health monitoring and M2M services are generating more and more traffic and new requirements for broadband networks. So infrastructures need to keep pace with technology trends.
2. Digitization requires digital-ready networks: Already today, everyone is concerned with digitization. Whether manufacturer, technology company, consulting firm, politician or market expert: Everyone is jumping on the new technology trends. At the World Economic Forum 2016 in Davos, Industry 4.0 was the central topic. As the world becomes more digital and connected, data is emerging as the most important strategic asset for every company and country. The ability to secure, analyze and provide services based on data will determine the success of any organization. But there is one important prerequisite for this: digital-ready networks.
   In the future, network connections will be simple to create. Just as the World Wide Web hid the complexity of the Internet and enabled its use by any user, the enterprise network is evolving into an open model. A digital-ready network offers controller-based automation, real-time and context-based analytics, network function virtualization (NFV) and the unlimited scalability of the cloud. How does an open, software-based network support digital transformation? It provides network-based insights, automates processes and protects against threats. For example, in the digital age, network devices can automatically detect and close a line leak or enable predictive maintenance in production factories.
3. Artificial intelligence and deep learning improve cybersecurity: Technology trends also have dark sides. Frozen data, blackmail through ransomware, stolen identities - awareness of the threats posed by cyber attacks has now reached many companies in Switzerland. According to a new study by IDG Research Services, 74 percent of the strategic decision-makers surveyed in the DACH region rate the threat posed by cyber attacks to their company as "very high" or "high" in the future. Today, the detection and defense against threats must be automated. Artificial intelligence helps to analyze and automatically examine suspicious web traffic. This allows attacks to be detected before they can lead to the theft of sensitive data.
   Artificial intelligence systems continuously learn from the huge amounts of data they evaluate. They independently recognize what normal and suspicious behavior looks like. Subsequently, they can respond to harmful behavior in new and more effective ways. This type of deep learning enables automation of defenses against new and unknown threats. Automation is also important to manage additional threats arising from the Internet of Things. Cisco uses Artificial Intelligence to create a Self-Defending Network that automatically detects potential risks and activates a managed response.
4. The way of working is changing: According to a 2016 Harvard Business Review study, 72 percent of executives say effective team communication has become increasingly important over the past two years. Sixty-eight percent of respondents say that collaboration with external partners, suppliers, customers and consultants, as well as colleagues in other locations, has also become more important. The most common complaints about the collaboration tools in use are that they are not integrated with other business processes (according to 38% of respondents), they are not aligned with users' work styles (35%) and are therefore underutilized by employees (44%). Collaboration tools rated as most effective include cloud and file sharing, video conferencing, and enterprise portals for content management. The next generation of collaboration tools is cloud-based, mobile-first, and open to integrating different workflows.
5. Fog computing extends the cloud to the edge of the network: In 2017, Fog Computing will continue to bring the benefits of the cloud to the edge of the network, as well as increasingly integrated into solutions such as Smart Cities. There, the technology enables the use of server, storage and network functions in devices located in even the most remote locations. This improves urban services such as traffic management, intelligent lighting, security and parking guidance systems. For example, a video camera detects the blue light of an ambulance, causing traffic lights to automatically turn green so it can get through traffic faster. Fog computing also allows sensors on trains to monitor components. If they detect problems, they send an automatic warning to the train operator so he can fix them at the next stop. Fog computing also enables intelligent power supply. For example, load-balancing applications can run on devices at the edge of the network, automatically switching to alternative energy such as solar or wind power depending on demand, availability and price.
6. Alternative realities are taking hold: The mixing of dimensions will continue in 2017. For example, previous online-only retailers such as Amazon are opening real-world branches, while at the same time Pokémon Go focused the attention of the masses on augmented reality. Virtual reality technologies are now available to every customer. This is because devices such as smartphones or tablets enable new, open, software-based platforms through which companies can deliver novel applications - whether online, in real life or in virtual spaces. IT and technology trends will therefore continue.

Source and further information: www.cisco.ch

In 1983, Willy A. Nauer (75) bought Solis, a traditional Swiss company founded in 1908 with headquarters in Glattbrugg (ZH) and production in Mendrisio (TI). Originally, the production and distribution of a heating pad formed the core business. This was followed in 1933 by the development of the first hair dryer. After his takeover, Willy A. Nauer expanded Solis into an international group. 1985 was a milestone: the company launched the world's first fully automatic espresso machine for private households. At the same time and systematically, the Beauty and Wellness as well as the Kitchen and Air Conditioning divisions were expanded both at home and abroad. Today, Solis is one of the leading experts for high-quality small household appliances. According to the company, its values are solid business relations, high-end products, quality, innovative spirit, power of implementation and visionary corporate development. These values are to be deepened and expanded in the second generation of Nauer entrepreneurs, according to a company statement.

CEO Thomas Nauer becomes new owner of Solis

Now CEO Thomas Nauer (38), son of Willy A. Nauer, becomes the new owner of the Solis Group. He holds a B. Sc. in Business Studies (City University of London) and an M. Sc. in International Management (King's College London). After his studies, he worked for three years in various sales and marketing functions for Nestlé in Beijing and Shanghai. Well equipped, Thomas Nauer joined the family business in 2008, initially as Director Sales & Marketing, and then, thanks to excellent results, took over operational management in 2013. At the same time, Willy A. Nauer withdrew from operational management. The same applies to Hildegard Nauer, Head of Communications/PR for the company for 25 years. Since then, Thomas Nauer has invested even more in research and development and expanded the Mendrisio (TI) production facility. The group of companies, which employs around 100 people, has its own subsidiaries in Germany, the Benelux countries, China, Singapore and Japan.

Source and further information

The online B2B marketplace "Wer liefert was" has compiled the top search terms of 2016. The on http://www.wlw.ch/ by far the most searched term this year was again "mechanical engineering". The search term "plastics" came in 2nd place. The term "CNC", the abbreviation for today's method of controlling machine tools, was thus pushed down to 3rd place. The search term "machines" also made significant gains in the top 10 search terms. It has risen from 7th to 4th place and has pushed back the term "metal construction" to 6th place. Food" has made it to position 5. They have gained one position. "Aluminum" has moved up from 10th to 7th place. The terms "cosmetics," "sheet metal" and "electronics" made it into the top 10 for the first time, taking 8th to 10th place. "Steel" and "laser" (ranked 8 and 9 in 2015) have dropped to 20th and 16th place.

Detail information asked

In contrast to product searches on Internet marketplaces, which are geared toward the end consumer, there is a greater need for detailed information in the B2B segment. "B2B products are significantly more complex," says Peter F. Schmid, CEO of "Wer liefert was." "Many products have a high degree of individualization. These are not easy to buy with a click." In the daily exchange with the suppliers and users of "Wer liefert was," it was the logical consequence for the market leader to advance the presentation of products on the platform. Today, every searcher can find products on www.wlw.ch not only the contact details of a suitable supplier for certain search terms, but also find the corresponding companies via product images, product details, price information as well as availability.

The online B2B market is only now really taking off

More and more suppliers are taking advantage of the opportunity to present their products on Wer liefert was. "In just one year, we have cracked the five million mark in terms of the number of products on the platform," emphasizes Peter F. Schmid. The result shows how much the online B2B segment continues to pick up speed in Europe as well. But what makes the online B2B market so lucrative? In 2020, B2B e-commerce sales are expected to reach $6.7 trillion, more than double the total B2C e-commerce, which is expected to be around $3.2 trillion, according to a study by Frost & Sullivan Global. "B2B customer behavior will continue to converge with that of B2C consumption, so B2B users expect the same usability and user experience they already know from B2C," knows Peter F. Schmid.

New in 2016: The facet search

A great deal was done in 2016 to make products easier to find, and the search function was further improved. For example, the "facet search" offers users the option of adapting their own search to their individual needs via various filters and thus finding the product they are looking for in a targeted manner. The search dynamically adapts to each individual category - depending on what is being searched for, different filter options are offered.

Source: http://www.wlw.ch

Many skills guides say, "We need to take more responsibility for our lives." "We need to make sure today that we don't get into a crisis in the future." That sounds good, but it's not specific enough. But what skills will we need in the future to manage our lives? An attempt at an answer.

Competence 1: Think in alternatives

Our living environment is changing faster and faster. That's why, for example: If we have a good job today with brilliant opportunities for advancement, this does not guarantee that we will still have it in five or even ten years. Maybe the company we work for will merge with another and our division will be shut down? We have to learn to live with such imponderables, and also with the fact that we don't know what our living environment will look like in five or ten years. We must not be afraid of this. Otherwise, we'll go through life with the handbrake on - as if it were already clear that we're going to lose our job. Instead, we must work today to ensure that we still have several options even if the future turns out to be different from what we expect.

Competence 2: be sensitive to weak signals

We can only develop realistic options if we are sensitive to weak signals in our environment. What dangers could threaten us in the future? What opportunities might open up for us? Because the future is never the present, we can rarely base our (future) decisions on facts. We have to rely on assumptions. So we have to learn to perceive signals for upcoming changes in our environment and to deduce from them which consequences might result for us.

Competence 3: trusting our intuition

In the future, we will have to make decisions more often even though we lack important information. We also have to make decisions whose consequences we do not yet fully understand, which is why we also do not know whether they will lead to success.

Parents are already faced with this challenge when raising their children. No one can tell them how much harshness, indulgence or patience will be necessary for their children to master their lives in the future. However, just because it is unclear whether their actions will lead to the (desired) goal, parents cannot refrain from educating their children. The same will apply to other areas of life in the future. Here, too, we must increasingly rely on our intuition.

Competence 4: Seeing the big picture

In order to make the right decisions, we need to keep an eye on our lives as a whole. Only if we can assess what effects, for example, our professional decisions also have on our private life and our personal well-being, can we lead a satisfied and fulfilled life in the long term. If we lack this overall view, our attempt to find and maintain the right balance in life will fail.

For example, many young adults who take the plunge into self-employment underestimate the impact of this decision on other areas of their lives. For example, they overlook the fact that they will then have little free time because of the heavy workload. And after two or three years, he is shocked to discover that although my business is flourishing, I have lost my friends in the meantime.

Competence 5: Seeking and accepting advice

In our private lives, our view of our counterpart is often more "clouded" the closer the person is to us. We regard our child as a "treasure of gold," even though others see him or her as a spoiled brat. We perceive our love relationship as successful, although we give ourselves up in it. It is similar with our work. Therefore, we should learn to consult neutral observers or consultants from time to time to help us discover our blind spots. People often consult experts too late. Employees, for example, do not contact a coach or consultant until the termination notice is already on their desk. It would make more sense for them to check now and then whether their qualifications will still be in demand in the future. Then they could be proactive - for example, by continuing their education.

Competence 6: being able and willing to learn

However, high sensitivity to weak signals and all good advice are in vain if we are not willing to learn and draw the necessary conclusions from our findings. Many people are excellent at analyzing their lives and saying what would be necessary - but their analysis is not followed by action. This means that we must also develop a certain toughness against ourselves and take action - even if it is difficult for us.

Competence 7: be open to new solutions

In the future, we will have to design new solutions for many challenges because the old ones are no longer suitable for coping with the future. In some cases, we will even have to do the opposite of what we were successful with in the past.

This is difficult for almost all people, because we have trained our current thought and behavior patterns over decades. They are a part of us; accordingly, we find it difficult to discard them. For example, many employees are convinced that a permanent position offers them the most security. This can be a fallacy. After all, if the distant corporate headquarters decides to sell the store tomorrow, they could be out of a job tomorrow - even if they were top employees for years beforehand. Sometimes, therefore, it's safer to go into business for yourself, provided you have a good business idea and the requisite "entrepreneur gene".

Competence 8: Establish and maintain networks

Jumping over one's own shadow requires courage. We often can't muster it on our own. So we should forge alliances. That means we must learn to seek and find allies. We can only do this if we are willing and able to communicate our needs to others and compromise with them when necessary.

Here's an example: In the future, it will probably be even more difficult than it is now for both partners in a relationship to have a top career and at the same time lead a fulfilling family life with children. So they need to reach an agreement that enables both partners to realize their life vision as far as possible. To do this, they must first put their desires on the table. They also have to be prepared to give up certain things, for example a possible career move, so that they can achieve the good that is more important to them - for example a fulfilling family life, a satisfying partnership.

Competence 9: Know your own values

To develop sustainable compromises and partnerships, we need to know what is really important to us. Only then can we say what we are willing to do without and what we are not. If we don't have clarity in this regard, we either can't cooperate with others or we subordinate ourselves to their wishes - professionally and privately.

Generally speaking, what is important to us is also reflected in what we are willing to give up to achieve this. For example, some professionals want to have a top career and earn a far above-average income, but at the same time they want to have as much free time as possible - for their family, their hobbies. However, it is only possible to do both at the same time in exceptional cases. So it's a matter of deciding: What is more important to me?

Competence 10: be confident

A positive attitude toward change is one of the key qualities we need. Because if we are afraid of change, we don't dare to develop new life plans. Then we don't ask experts for advice in time, but close our eyes to the challenges we face.

A positive attitude toward change is also reflected in the fact that we accept the risk of failure and do not interpret failure as a personal failure. Because our failure proves: We have tried - unlike many of our fellow human beings. So why not give it a second try?

About the authors: Frank Linde and Michael Reichl are the managing directors of im-prove coaching und training GmbH, Lingen (Germany), which supports (service) companies and SMEs and their employees in change projects and trains change consultants (Tel.: 00 49 591/120 702 43; Email: kontakt_fl@im-prove.de; Internet: www.im-prove.de).