Sustainable development and competitiveness of Switzerland

How policies and corporate strategies can enhance the sustainable economic and social competitiveness of Switzerland

This research project examines how policies and corporate strategies can enhance the sustainable economic and social competitiveness of Switzerland. In an era of rapid economic transformation, understanding the interplay between sustainability and competition is crucial for shaping resilient economies and businesses.

Aim

Through a combination of quantitative and qualitative analyses, we explore key topics such as energy, agriculture, and business strategy to generate actionable insights for policymakers and industry practitioners. Our research also contributes to economic research by producing high-quality academic publications that deepen the understanding of sustainable competitiveness.

Methodology

Our project employs a diverse set of quantitative and qualitative research methods to analyse the intersection of sustainability and competition. We integrate causal analysis methods, including quasi-experimental designs and econometric approaches, to assess the impact of policies and corporate strategies on sustainable economic performance.

Additionally, we apply system dynamics to understand the complex interactions between economic, environmental, and social factors. We also use Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) to identify patterns and pathways that lead to sustainable competitiveness across different sectors, including energy, agriculture, and business strategy.

By combining these methodological approaches, we aim to generate robust, interdisciplinary insights that inform both academic research and real-world decision-making.

Project team

Activities

  • On August 5, 2024, Dr. Dembetembe, Gift, presented his working paper titled "Is the Business of Energy Transition a ‘Fix that Fails’" at the 2024 International System Dynamics Conference in Bergen, Norway. His research explored whether the environmental damage caused during the extraction and transportation of critical energy transition materials might generate emissions that counteract the goal of combating climate change.
  • On October 17, 2024, an internal workshop was held at the University of Fribourg, where members of the P3 project "Future of Switzerland," including Prof. Dr. Gugler, Philippe, Dr. Dembetembe, Gift, and Dr. Raso-Domínguez, Xavier, presented their ongoing and future research projects to their colleagues.
  • On October 29, 2024, the P3 project team hosted the Lecture Series Mobilière-UniFr "Future of Switzerland" in Fribourg. The event featured a keynote speech by Dr. Petyo Bonev, Head of the research group "Managerial Economics in Agriculture" at Agroscope and Adjunct Professor at the University of St. Gallen. The lecture was followed by discussions among the team and other university members regarding its implications for their research.
  • On November 28, 2024, Prof. Dr. Sergio Rossi delivered a keynote speech at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Canton of Fribourg. His presentation, titled "Macroéconomie durable," addressed sustainability from a macroeconomic perspective and explored its impact on national and regional economic policies.
  • On February 13, 2025, Dr. Xavier Raso Domínguez participated in the XVII Workshop of the Business Strategy Section of ACEDE in Castelló de la Plana, Spain. He presented the working paper "The Equality Cookbook: Swiss Companies' Recipes for Gender Parity," which analyzed the approaches Swiss companies use to achieve gender parity in their organizational structures and policies. The workshop provided an open forum for debate and reflection on pressing economic and social challenges in strategic management.

  • On June 2, 2025, Dr. Xavier Raso Domínguez has been invited to present his work titled “The Impact of Energy Price Shocks on Electricity Consumption: Evidence from Swiss Cantons” at the XX CONGRESO DE LA ASOCIACIÓN ESPAÑOLA PARA LA ECONOMÍA ENERGÉTICA. The conference will take place at the Basque Country University in collaboration with BC3-Basque Centre for Climate Change. The AEEE is the Spanish section of the International Association for Energy Economics, and, among its activities, it promotes the organization of an annual conference on Energy Economics. The AEEE conference aims to strengthen the ties between universities, regulators, and companies with interests in areas such as Energy Economics, the Environment, and Climate Change.

  • On June 28, 2025, Dr. Gift Dembetembe has been invited to present his working paper titled “Engagements and Disengagements of Multinational Enterprises with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Where We Are and Where to Go from Here” at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Academy of International Business (AIB). The conference will take place at the Omni Hotel Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky (USA). The presentation is based on a systematic literature review of sustainable business practices at the international level. The AIB 2025 Annual Meeting encourages submissions that emphasize the real-world implications of international business scholarship and offer insights with meaningful impact on practice, policy, and society.

  • On September 2, 2025, Dr. Gift Dembetembe has been invited to present his working paper titled “Navigating the unintended consequences of energy transition among Swiss firms” at the 2025 World Resources Forum. The Forum will be held in Geneva, Switzerland. The presentation is based on a systems thinking model for understanding the complexity of navigating the negative externalities of energy transition. The 2025 WRF is running under the theme, ‘New Resource Strategies for a Fair and Sustainable Future.’

  • On September 3, 2025, Dr. Xavier Raso Domínguez has been invited to present his work titled “The Hitchhiker's Guide to Organic Efficiency: Analysing the Organic Agriculture efficiency in Between Swiss Cantons” at the XV Congress of Agri-food Economics of the AEEA. It will be held in Granada at the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Granada under the theme “Providing Solutions in Times of Change through Agri-food and Environmental Economics.” This theme reflects the need for applied science that can effectively address the major challenges faced by the agricultural and food sector. All of this takes place within a context of uncertainty due to rapid technological and geopolitical changes, which impact individual behaviour and threaten the sustainability of the sector and, consequently, of society as a whole.

Publications

The research cluster is a collaboration with the social engagement of our project partner: