Russian business stereotypes need to be consigned to the distant past December 19, 2012 BRITISH statesman Lord Curzon once famously said that every Englishman enters Russia a Russophobe, and leaves it a Russophile. Though time has passed since the Great Game of Rudyard Kipling, the saying is still relevant. According to a recent Economic Intelligence Unit survey of 200 international senior executives, less than 15 per cent would view [...]
Recent scandals are no excuse to break up universal banking in Britain December 19, 2012 BREAK up the banks!” goes up the rallying cry. It’s not coming from the mob, however, but from various pockets across Parliament. For those wanting to appear tough on banks, it has become almost obligatory: you’ll only be taken seriously if you push for the nuclear option. With banks as unpopular as they are, this [...]
The best Christmas gift can’t be found on the high street December 19, 2012 CHRISTMAS is a time of consumption and, this year, despite some conflicting statistics, central London seems heaving. The New West End company estimated that the first weekend of December saw 16 per cent more shoppers than in 2011, many from abroad. Retail sales in December are typically twice those of other months and, for many [...]
Has UBS’s £940m fine for manipulating Libor threatened the UK’s role in interbank lending? December 19, 2012 YES Avinash Persaud Does the UK financial sector serve the UK or international finance? The scandal surrounding Libor is a microcosm of that issue. If Libor is seen to be susceptible to the interests of UK financial stability, it cannot be credible as an international benchmark. In the past, many were comfortable with the idea [...]
Rapid responses December 19, 2012 The cost of green [Re: Green energy subsidies are failing to deliver cheap low carbon power, yesterday] Renewable energy, like all good things, costs money. That politicians like Dominic Raab allow the energy companies to pass the cost straight to the consumer is a symptom of political weakness, not that the intention is wrong. Decentralised [...]
Business networking has been transformed December 19, 2012 NETWORKING has always played an important role in career and business progression, but it has seen a significant transformation in recent years. The most notable change has come in the way professionals network: from a face-to-face business card exchange to making hundreds of connections on, for example, LinkedIn. Executives at global companies no longer need [...]
Embracing new technology gets companies ready for the future December 19, 2012 DIRECTOR UK ENTERPRISE, CISCO Q How have advancements in the internet and online networking helped businesses through the difficult economic period? A Three of the key reasons for any company to use the internet are business model innovation, reaching more customers, and reducing costs. To quote Jeff Bezos, founder and chief executive of Amazon.com, “the [...]
SMEs need an online presence to prosper December 19, 2012 LIKE all smaller companies, FusePump has found networking technology essential for gaining business as well as enabling it. The internet, in particular, has meant that even smaller businesses like ours can have a global reach, with companies now conducting meetings and business transactions online without having to be in the same country. FusePump, for example, [...]
How to stay cool on the snow December 19, 2012 THE weather’s cold, but you want to spend all day on the slopes, right? Luckily the latest gear will keep you toasty in spite of the elements. And the 2012-13 season includes enough new gadgets to help even novice skiers look like pros – and measure your progress along the way. For a jacket that [...]
US backlash grows over weapons sales December 18, 2012 WALL Street investors yesterday moved to distance themselves from America’s powerful gun industry amid growing public anger following the deadly shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school in Connecticut. In a pivotal move throwing Wall Street financiers into the heart of the US gun debate, private equity titan Cerberus Capital Management said it would sell the [...]
