Der Inhalt dieser Seite ist nur in englischer Sprache verfügbar.Location Stockholm
Sweden's evolution from a poor, backward agrarian country to a modern industrialized nation in only half a century is internationally classified as an economic miracle, in many aspects comparable with that of Japan. The outstanding export success of Swedish industry during the 20th century made possible the creation of the famous Swedish welfare state.
He prerequisites for this industrial revolution can be found in northern Sweden's enormous natural resources: forests, ore and hydroelectric power. But there is also a proud tradition of inventiveness and entrepreneurship. Swedish industrialists did not content themselves with exploiting raw materials, but found completely new ways of enhancing the value of these natural resources. A long series of ingenious inventions and innovations laid the foundation for Sweden's engineering, chemical/pharmaceutical and electrical industries, among others.Today this heritage continues in such high-tech, research-intensive sectors as information technology (IT) and biomedicine - fields in which Sweden has been among the world leaders for many years. Over the decades, the business sector has undergone a process of frequently painful transformations. Manufacturing jobs have vanished abroad as companies have moved their production to low-wage countries. Many of the largest Swedish corporations have also been sold or merged with multinational groups. Today, just as one century ago, the future hope of Swedish industry rests with inventiveness, fresh thinking and entrepreneurship - the ability to find new solutions in response to a new reality.
However, traditional industries such as forest products, mining and engineering still account for a substantial proportion of Sweden's crucial export revenues.