Business trip to Stockholm, Sweden.
The largest part of the people in Stockholm work in the service industry, which accounts for roughly 85% of jobs in Stockholm. The virtually non-existence of heavy industry makes Stockholm one of the world’s cleanest capitals. The last 20 years has seen a significant number of jobs created in high technology companies. The largest employers include IBM, Ericsson, and Electrolux. A large IT centre is located in Kista, in northern part of Stockholm.
Stockholm is the financial centre of Sweden. The most important Swedish banks, such as Swedbank, Handelsbanken, and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken, are headquartered in Stockholm, as are Skandia and Trygg-Hansa, 2 of the dominant insurance companies. Stockholm is also home to Sweden’s foremost stock exchange, the Stockholmsbörsen (Stockholm Stock Exchange).
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Additionally, about 45 percent of the Swedish enterprises with more than 200 employees are headquartered in Stockholm. Famous clothes retailer H&M also has its headquarter in the city. In last years, tourism has played an important part in the Stockholm’s economy.
The Stockholm region is home to around 21 percent of the total population of Sweden, and accounts for about 35 percent of the GDP. The boundaries of the city has been changed through the ages.
At the turn of the 19th century, Stockholm only comprised the area known today as the City Centre, about 35 km2 or one fifth of the municipal area nowadays. In the following decades several other villages and communities were incorporated, for instance Brännkyrka in 1913 and Spånga in 1949). The municipal border as it is today was established in 1971, with the exception of Hansta which was purchased by Stockholm Municipality from Sollentuna Municipality in 1971 and which is nowadays a nature reserve.
In 2004 Stockholm had a population of 765.044. 40,4 percent of the population, over the age 15, was unmarried. 27,5 percent of the population, were married. 11,1% of the population, had been married but divorced. 28% of residents have immigrant or minority heritage and background. Residents of Stockholm are known as Stockholmers. Some of the suburbs have large populations of immigrants.
For more in-depth information I suggest you buy and read the "Global Business Etiquettes" book.
- Communication:
Use formal names, professional and academic titles.
The Swedes are very direct, do not confuse this with rudeness.
Never interrupt somebody.
Dress formal and conservative. - Meetings and negotiations:
When making appointments use the 24-hour clock time format to avoid misunderstandings.
Be very punctual, if you suspect you will late, call and explain the situation.
Never cancel a meeting at the last minute.
Shake hands with everyone upon arriving at the meeting and leaving.
Remain standing until invited to sit down or others do so.
Almost no time is spent to getting to know you before the business conversation begins. Move directly to business.
Agenda’s are strictly followed. There is no room for off-topic talk
Keep your presentation very detailed, to the point, accurate and precise, do not exaggerate.
Follow up a meeting with a letter or an e-mail with all agreements outlined. - Table manners:
If unsure on how to behave, mimic the behavior of others.
Wait until you are appointed a seat.
Avoid alcohol if possible, otherwise drink little.
If making a toast, stand up.
Put a napkin on your lap, eat not too much but finish your plate.
Keep your hands above the table when eating.
After finishing your plate lay your knife and fork parallel on your plate with the handles to the right.
Thank your host at the end of the meal.
Sweden is one of the world leaders in telecom, computers, electronics, robotics, pharmaceutical and medical products and biotech, Sweden is regularly listed as top in the world in terms of high-tech readiness and receptivity. Swedes are leaders in implementing e-government, and high-tech sectors like security ID systems, fossil free alternative energy, and nano-technology are well developed in Sweden.
Sweden has one of the most open and competitive markets in the world, ranking only behind the U.S.A. and Finland in the International Competitiveness Ranking.
Sweden has a domestic auto, truck, and aviation industry with significant foreign investments and partnerings. Sweden is seen as a perfect test market, although a very expensive one, because of the fact that Swedes are "early adaptors", being quick to start or follow trends. Sweden is home to more multinational corporations per capita than any other country in the world and is considered a headquarters base for the Nordic countries. Selling to Sweden improves the possibility to sell to all of the northern european coutries. With a high income per capita and a combined Nordic market of 27 million, the economy reflects the 10th largest economy in the world.
Prices are high in Sweden, which offers both an opportunity in terms of new product pricing, and challenges in terms of the cost of doing business. Generally speaking, labor laws create an expensive market for labor, making operations like franchising a challenge. On the other hand, Sweden is one of the most cost-efficient countries in the world for design, research and development because of the relatively low cost of scientists and engineers and top-notch research facilities.
Individual tax rates are about the highest in the world, but corporate taxes are medium for Europe with 28 percent and a VAT rate of 25 percent applicable for the import or sale of products anytime products change hands. Taxes have been reduced under the new government.
Some facts in a list:| Currency | Swedish krona (SEK) |
| Time zone | GMT +1 |
| Population | 9.336.487 |
| Area | 449.964 km2 |
| Population density | 21 / km2 |
| GDP | € 312 billion |
| GDP/per capita | € 34.062 |
  | Product tip: There are also nice looking laptop bags on the market! A laptop bag doesn’t have to be a dull conservative black bag. There are lot’s of great looking bags on the market these days. Special laptop bags with the protection that is needed for your laptop but also with nice designs in models and materials. |
Stockholm-Arlanda Airport is the international airport located in the Sigtuna Municipality of Sweden, near the town of Uppsala, 37 km north of Stockholm.
The airport is located within Stockholm County and the province of Uppland. It is the largest airport in Sweden, and the third largest airport in the Nordic countries. The airport was used by 18.1 million passengers in 2008, with 13.3 million international passengers and 4.9 million domestic. It is also one of three major hubs of Scandinavian Airlines System.
Address
Stockholm-Arlanda Airport
LFV
190 45 Stockholm-Arlanda
Sweden
Telephone: +46(0)8 797 6000
Fax: +46(0)8 797 8600
Email: arlanda@lfv.se
Website: www.arlanda.se
Airport codes
IATA airport code: ARN
ICAO airport code: ESSA
Lost property
Items found at the airport are administered by Bagport, Terminal 5, Level 1.You can inquire at tel. +46 8 797 60 80 (weekdays except holidays, 12.00 noon – 4.00 p.m.), at fax +46 8 797 62 47.
Opening hours: Daily 6.00 a.m.-10.00 p.m.
If you travelled with SAS to Stockholm-Arlanda and lost something on the aircraft, you can contact Bagport - se contact information above.
If you travelled with SAS from Stockholm-Arlanda or to and from the airport with any other airline - you can contact the airline that you travelled with.
Terminal info
The Stockholm Arlanda Airport is a very modern airport with four terminals: T2 and T5 are for international flights, T3 and T4 are for flights inside of Scandinavia. There are free shuttle buses between the terminals.
Between T4 and T5 is the central service and shopping area ‘Sky City’.
Connectivity from the airport
Train
The train station is underground and is accessible by an elevator from all terminals. You can ride the Arlanda Express for SEK 200 and you will be in the heart of Stockholm in 20 minutes. Trains also leave from the airport to other destinations, including Uppsala, Göteborg and Trondheim in Norway.
Taxi
In T4 there is a kiosk from Flygtaxi (tel: +46(0)8 593 604 70). All taxis are obligated to charge a fixed price for rides from the airport to the center of Stockholm, the price is approximately SEK 450, and the ride takes around 40 minutes.
There are many taxi companies in Stockholm and taxis are easy to find.
Keep the following tips in mind if you need to order a taxi during your business trip to Stockholm. Prices may vary due to deregulation, but it rarely costs more than SEK 200 to reach destinations within the city limits. The easiest way to order a taxi is to call the taxi companies´ switchboards.
| Company name | Phone number |
| Top Cab | 333333 |
| Taxi | 810808 |
| Taxi Kurir | 300000 |
| Taxi Stockholm | 65000 |
| Yellow Cab Service | 6694748 |
Grodan Grev Ture
With a mix of French and Swedish dishes on the menu, Grodan (’the Frog’) is a popular and trendy place in the centre of town. The fish casserole is a Grodan classic and comes highly recommended. Outdoors the restaurant has one of the most attractive spaces for all fresco dining (and people watching) in Stockholm. If you are on a business trip to Stockholm, this is a great restaurant for entertaining your hosts.
Grev Turegatan 16, Stockholm
Tel:+46 8 679 6110
www.grodan.se
Mathias Dahlgren
Having won a Michelin star at his last restaurant and has now moved on to the Grand Hotel where his name and presence grace the hotel’s new gourmet restaurant. The cuisine is Swedish and Baltic, but with global as well as local elements, and the food is delicious - based on natural produce and natural flavours, what Dahlgren himself calls ‘the natural cuisine’.
Grand Hôtel Stockholm
Södra Blasieholmshamnen 6
Box 16424, S-103 27 Stockholm
Phone: 46 (0)8 679 35 84
Email: reservations@mdghs.com
www.mathiasdahlgren.se
Sollidens restaurang
This restaurant at the Skansen open-air museum enjoys spectacular panoramic views across Stockholm. Open through the summer and in December. During summer, you should try a classic Swedish smörgåsbord in Solliden’s classic dining room, served every day from noon to 4 pm.
Skansen 11593, Stockholm
forsaljning@profilrestauranger.se
Tel. +46 (0)8-566 209 41 or +46 (0)70-737 00 24
www.profilrestauranger.se
Tips to save money on hotel costs during your business trip to Stockholm.
To get the best price for a good hotel room during your business trip to Stockholm it's not only important to compare the prices the hotel charges for a room, but also compare the prices of the different booking agencies.
This can save you, or your company, a lot of money!
- Go to this hotel listing for Stockholm.
- Select the "Check-in" and "Check-out" date.
- Select filters like: "Hotel brand", "Ratings", "Location" and "Price ranges".
- Select the hotel you like.
- You will get an overview of the prices from up to 24 booking sites
- Select the best offer in the list and book the room!
We have selected the following established business hotels for your convenience:
Sheraton Hotel Stockholm
In the heart of Stockholm with beautiful views of the lake Malaren, the 5 star hotel Sheraton Stockholm Towers offers an excellent stay. Its perfect location makes all attractions such as Old town, City hall and water tours, museums, and restaurants and much more within walking distance from the hotel which is very convenient during a busy business trip.
Tegelbacken 6, Box 195
S 10123, Stockholm
Tel: +46 (0)8 412 34 00
More info about the Sheraton Hotel Stockholm
Scandic Continental Stockholm
The Scandic Continental hotel brings Stockholm attractions to your doorstep. The Old Town, Stockholm Opera, Stockholm City Hall and Stockholm Royal Palace are within 10 minutes’ walk. At the end of the day, enjoy the hotel’s sauna, bars and restaurant.
Vasagatan/Klara Vattugrand 4
111 21 Stockholm
Sweden
Phone: +46 (0)8 517 342 00
More info about the Scandic Continental Hotel Stockholm
Grand Hôtel Stockholm
The Grand Hôtel is a classic landmark in the center of Stockholm. The location is perfect and the view over the harbour, Old Town and Royal Palace is much appreciated, both by international and Swedish guests.
Södra Blasieholmshamnen 8
P O Box 16424
103 27 STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
Tel: + 46 (0) 8 679 35 00
More info about the Grand Hôtel Stockholm
Södermalm – trendy, charming and unique
Södermalm is a district of small boutiques. SoFo, the area south of Folkungagatan, together with Götgatan, has become a mixed scene for the new and unexpected, as well as state of the art vintage merchandise. This is the place for fashion and design mavens to find things that have been much written about as well as unique items.
Östermalm – timeless and exclusive
Östermalm is the most fasionable district in Stockholm. The area is home to exclusive international labels, combined with high-class Scandinavian design in fashion and decor.
A day shopping for first-class fashion on Östermalm starts along Biblioteksgatan with flagship stores such as Armani and Filippa K. Urban Outfitters’ major store is in the old Röda Kvarn movie theater building. There’s no shortage of expensive goods in the neighborhood around Stureplan – timeless classic design, as well as the latest in international fashion.
Discover Swedish fashion
Swedish fashion has met with great success internationally in recent years. Many labels have their own stores in Stockholm, so take the opportunity to discover Swedish fashion in its native environment.
Gamla stan
The Gamla stan is a must see when you have some spare time during your business trip to Stockholm. Gamla Stan is one of the largest and best preserved medieval city centers in Europe, and one of the most important attractions in Stockholm. This is where Stockholm was founded in 1252.All of Gamla Stan and the adjacent island of Riddarholmen are like a living pedestrian-friendly museum full of sights, attractions, restaurants, cafés, bars and places to shop. Gamla Stan is also popular with connoisseurs of handicrafts, antiques and souvenirs. The narrow winding cobblestone streets, with their buildings in so many different shades of gold, give Gamla Stan its unique character.
There are several wonderful churches and museums in Gamla Stan. Amongst them Sweden’s national cathedral Stockholm Cathedral and the Nobel Museum. The leading attractions in the district is the Royal Palace, one of the largest palaces in the world with over 600 rooms. In addition to the reception rooms, there are a number of interesting museums in the Palace, for example the Royal Armory, with royal costumes and armor. Don’t miss the parade of soldiers and the daily changing of the guard.
The City Hall
City Hall, with its pinnacle featuring the golden Three Crowns, is one of the most famous silhouettes in Stockholm. YOu can climb up inside the tower and enjoy a fantastic view over the city.
Stockholm City Hall is a leading examples of national romanticism in architecture of the country. The City Hall was designed by the architect Ragnar Östberg, and opened on Midsummer Eve in 1923. The City Hall is built from eight million bricks, and the 106 meter high tower has the three crowns, which is the Swedish national coat of arms, at its apex.
Boat Sightseeing
A city built on 14 islands offers an infinite number of stunning water views. Stockholm has scores of waterfront walkways, with spectacular and constantly changing scenery.
Seeing Stockholm from the water is an enjoyable must. Fortunately, there are many tours to choose from depending on your interests.
Under the Bridges of Stockholm, Royal Canal Tour, Historical Canal Tour, and the early Good Morning Stockholm Tour concentrate on central Stockholm and take from 50 minutes to 2½ hours. The Good Morning tour is given in Swedish and English only. Other tours are also given in German, Russian, French, Spanish, Italian, Finnish, Chinese, and Japanese. The number of tours is limited during the winter. Hop On Hop Off is a flexible way to see Stockholm from the water. The ticket is good for an unlimited number of trips over a 24-hour period. It can also be combined with bus (Open Top Bus Tour).If you have enough time for sightseeing during your business trip to Stockholm, I would recommended you take a tour.
Tips for islands:
Fjäderholmslinjen
In the summer, Fjäderholmslinjen can take you to Fjäderholmarna, the archipelago’s nearest island. Departing from Slussen every hour, the trip takes about 20 minutes.www.fjaderholmslinjen.se
Gustavsberg and Värmdö
On Värmdö you will find a rich history and a varied island landscape with well-known islands such as Grinda, Möja and Sandhamn. The municipality is made up entirely of islands, yet you can still reach the main town of Gustavsberg in just 20 minutes. In Gustavsberg you can visit the porcelain factory, with its shop, a fantastic gallery and glass exhibit, glass works, and pleasant shops and cafés.
The Royal Palace
This is one of the largest palaces in Europe! The Royal Palace is the official residence of His Majesty the King of Sweden, with over 600 rooms.
The Palace is open to the public and offers no less than five museums. The Palace was largely built during the eighteenth century in the Italian Baroque style, on the spot where the “Tre Kronor” castle burned down in 1697. YOu can visit the reception rooms with splendid interiors from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
The Vasa Museum
The Vasa is the only preserved seventeenth-century ship in the world, and a unique art treasure. More than 95 percent of the ship is original, and it is decorated with hundreds of carved sculptures.
Today the Vasa Museum is the best visited museum in Scandinavia, with over one million visitors a year. There are nine different exhibitions around the ship to tell about life on board the ship. The film about the Vasa is shown in 16 different languages. In addition there is a well-stocked shop and a pleasant restaurant. Tours of the museum take place every day.
Skansen Open-Air Museum
Skansen consists of the oldest open-air museum in the world and the Stockholm zoo, with a beautiful location on Royal Djurgården and a view over all of Stockholm.
At Skansen you can learn about traditional crafts and traditions. This is the place to visit historic Sweden in miniature. 150 farms and dwellings from different parts of the country were disassembled and transported here. You’ll find charming town districts with glass blowing, pottery, a tinsmith’s workshop and a bakery, a gold-colored manor house, the Skogaholm manor house, the beautiful eighteenth-century Seglora wooden church and the The museum shop is a must for fans of traditional handicrafts.
Make sure your health care insurance is sufficiently covered.
Maybe this is already covered in your regular health care insurance but often you will need to cover this with the travel insurance. Also a good travel insurance should cover the costs of travel for a relative in case of seriously illness or an accident.
The business trip travel insurance should also cover the costs of search, rescue and repatriation.
When you go on business trips on a regular basis, the easiest way to get insured is with an annual multi-trip insurance.
Keep in mind that you can also use this insurance for your pleasure trips so don`t forget to include to insure your leisure activities.
Dial 112 for emergency assistance from police, fire brigade, ambulance etc.
Emergency calls from pay phones are free of charge.
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along the coast and on the Åland islands. It is to a considerable extent mutually intelligible with Norwegian and to a lesser extent with Danish.
Although in business everyone in Sweden speaks English, some Swedish phrases can always come in hand....
| Hello | God dag |
| How are you? | Hur är det? |
| I’m fine, thanks. And you? | Bara bra tack. Och du? |
| What’s your name? | Vad heter du? |
| My name is ... | Jag heter ... |
| Pleased to meet you | Angenämt |
| Good morning | God morgon |
| Good afternoon | God eftermiddag |
| Good evening | God kväll |
| Good night | God natt |
| Goodbye | Hej då |
| Cheers/Good health! | Skål! |
| Bon appetit | Smaklig måltid! |
| Have a nice day | Ha en trevlig dag! |
| I don’t understand | Jag förstår inte |
| Please write it down | Skulle du kunna skriva ned det åt mig? |
| How do you say ... in Swedish? | Hur säger man ... på svenska? |
| How much is this? | Hur mycket kostar det? |
| Thank you | Tack så mycket |
| You’re welcome | Det var så lite |
| Where’s the toilet? | Var är toaletten? |
| Yes / No | Ja / Nej |
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