tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10145042090679493002011-04-21T14:54:38.583-07:00Tim Luscombehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00917023225423849980noreply@blogger.comBlogger11100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1014504209067949300.post-77669748459664492942008-11-26T08:16:00.000-08:002008-11-26T09:04:45.732-08:00I have been working with <a href="http://www.cimaglobal.com/">CIMA,</a> the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants delivering some training for their clients.<br /><br />Earlier this year I gave a Mastercourse on <a href="http://www1.cimaglobal.com/cps/rde/xchg/SID-0AE7C4D1-E1E3CDF6/live/root.xsl/mastercourses_detail.htm?filename=mastercourses_22225.XML&amp;subject=&amp;mid=">Acquisitions</a> and in July spoke at a breakfast briefing on the Credit Crunch. This month, I was fortunate enough to speak at an internal conference held by <a href="http://www.kimberly-clark.com/">Kimberley Clark</a>. The title of this talk (to their financial management team) was "Adding Value in a Downturn".<br /><br />We had participants from Europe, Russia, Israel and the Middle East and we were reviewing the latest economic news from each, trying put tut the gloom and doom from the press into context.<br /><br />I'm firmly of the view (and have been from the outset) that this is much more a crisis of confidence than anything else. It started with the banks and the financial sector, but the press are doing a fantastic job of talking the rest of us into a recession.<br /><br />The current press coverage reminds me of the old story about the journalist on a foreign assignment getting a telegram from his editor "YunNews" (this was in the days when you paid for a telegram by the word) to which the journalist replied "UnNewsGoodNews" only to be told, somewhat tersely "UnNewsUnJob"<br /><br />Add to this our PM's reputation and standing improving in this time of doubt, and I for one wonder who is going to stand up and give us some good news - at least here in the UK. Maybe the new incumbent in the White House from January will be able to change the tone and inject some much needed confidence?<br /><br />Away from politics and the press coverage, most businesses that I speak to are suffering a little. Some sectors (such as those dependent upon the housing markets) are truly in hard times, but many others, from retail to truck repair and from complementary health products to consumer research are just nervous. They are not about to invest in new equipment, new people or take big risks, but life goes on.<br /><br />I'm an optimist but I think we need a few more - where do you stand?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1014504209067949300-7766974845966449294?l=financialbusinessspeaker.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Tim Luscombehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00917023225423849980noreply@blogger.com0