Monthly Archives: April 2011

Why I’m not a republican

Posted on 29 April, 2011 by Rick

Here’s something to try on your friends next time you’re in the pub or at a dinner party. Let’s assume that, at some time in your life, you will fall foul of the authorities in a foreign country. The good … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Comments

What are you without your company’s brand?

Posted on 27 April, 2011 by Rick

“If you take away the brand, what are this company’s strengths?” I asked senior managers from a firm with high-profile name. They looked at me gone out, as my gran used to say. It had never occurred to them to ask … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments

Mene mene tekel upharsin!

Posted on 26 April, 2011 by Rick

The IMF dropped a bombshell over the weekend. It predicted that China’s economy would overtake America’s in 2016, a decade or so earlier than most previous predictions. Has the IMF suddenly discovered some new data? Has the impact of the financial crisis … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Taureans – we’re really nice people…honest!

Posted on 21 April, 2011 by Rick

After yesterday’s data-heavy post, something a bit more light-hearted for the Thursday before a bank holiday weekend. Now we all know that astrology is a load of rubbish. It’s a lot of superstitious mumbo-jumbo with no evidence base whatsoever. Anyone caught … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments

The public debt – why it’s different this time

Posted on 20 April, 2011 by Rick

Peter Hoskin and Éoin Clarke were knocking lumps out of each other last week about whether debt and debt repayments were worse under John Major than they are now. At least they were knocking lumps out of each other with numbers and bar … Continue reading →

Posted in Peak State, Public Finances | 17 Comments

The Notts County scam – why curiosity is important in business

Posted on 19 April, 2011 by Rick

I’m still reeling from watching last night’s Panorama programme. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s well worth watching on iPlayer. It told the story of a convicted fraudster who conned, in roughly this order, an investment bank, Notts County’s owners, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

The State – Old Fashioned Father or Modern Dad?

Posted on 18 April, 2011 by Rick

Anne McElvoy is annoyed with Islington council. It has told her she has to recycle her food waste to help the council save money and that, if she doesn’t, she will be fined. Her irritation seems to be not so much with … Continue reading →

Posted in Peak State | 4 Comments

How costly is the NHS?

Posted on 14 April, 2011 by Rick

Earlier this week, the OECD published its Social Indicators for 2011. There is loads of good stuff in there for the information junkie to trawl through and I’m sure a number of us will be referring to it in the months … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Increasing scepticism about the bankers’ exodus

Posted on 12 April, 2011 by Rick

I haven’t had time to read the Vickers report properly yet but it expresses some scepticism about the bankers’ threats to leave London. There are a number of practical obstacles and it might do the banks more harm than good, was … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

The feminisation of HR

Posted on 11 April, 2011 by Rick

There has been some discussion over the past few days on the femaleness of the HR profession. A couple of weeks ago, John Sumser posted the findings of a US study concluding that HR is a 47 year old white woman. On Friday, XpertHR followed … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments