Switzerland's outstanding economic success far surpasses its size, and is based on strong achievements in multiple scientific disciplines. As a base for international and EMEA headquarters, R&D and manufacturing centers for hundreds multinational firms, Switzerland is a world-class center for all companies seeking an ideal location for developing and producing high-margin manufactured goods and life science products. Supporting these firms is an extremly well-trained multilingual workforce and a long tradition in the precision manufacturing, pharmaceutical, high-technology, nanotechnology, medical device, and biotechnology sectors. Companies investing in Switzerland enjoy access to and the resources of institutions such as the Federal Institutes of Technology in Zurich and Lausanne, the Swiss Center for Electro- and Microtechnology (CSEM), and the Institute of Management Development (IMD) along with regional and cantonal universities and research hospitals.    As a gauge of Swizerland's ranking in key indices among the world's most competitive economies, it places 8th in the 2005 World Competitiveness Yearbook published by the Institute for Management Development. It ranks 8th in the Global Competitiveness Report and 9th in the Global IT report, both published by the World Economic Forum, and 4th in the 2005 "E-Readiness" index developed by the Economist Intelligence Unit and the IBM Institute for Business Value.    Click here for industry-specific brochures. Click here for a list of Swiss technology parks.