Firn,

Doom and gloom always seems to be in fashion, however, it certainly seems to be more so than usual of late. A motorcycle ride, or a day on the slopes, beach, etc always seems to help with returning to a baseline of sanity. Anyway, here are a couple of links to some of my morning reads today...

Income inequality comes out of the igloo at Davos, by Dr Gillian Tett, January 25, 2012 1:01 am by FT, Financial Times, www.ft.com

During the last year confidence among chief executives has apparently plunged, as many fear that the macroeconomic outlook looks dangerously uncertain. On a micro level, however, many companies say that their own operations are going quite well. In other words, even amid individual company success, the world seems a scary place.

Why? It might be tempting to point the finger at the euro (and, yes, those euro woes and Greek dramas will certainly dominate Davos debate). What came out of the FT panel debate is that the malaise actually has much deeper roots: businesses fear that that the current economic system is unsustainable in many senses. There are rising natural resource constraints; social pressures are growing; and political systems seem ill-equipped to cope. Add the destabilising impact of social media, and you get a combustible, and nerve-racking, mix — the Arab spring is just one case in point.
Edelman Trust Barometer, The Path Forward, and for all the powerpoint fans out there - the slide deck

The 2012 Edelman Trust Barometer examines trust in four key institutions -- government, business, media, and NGOs -- as well as communications channels and sources. This is the 12th year of the study and this year we took a deeper look at what drives trust.
The 2012 Trust Barometer reveals that the factors responsible for shaping current trust levels are less important than those that will build future trust. Consistent financial returns, innovative products and highly regarded senior leadership are the primary factors on which current trust levels lie. However, listening to customer feedback and putting customers ahead of profits are far more vital to building future trust.