Going to the wall is a new medal of honour. Everyone looks gloomily at the near-death experience they are convinced that they are going to face. Debtors are extending their position from 30 days to 90, credit controllers are insisting on cash on delivery, the bank is tetchy about the overdraft and, mysteriously, every invoice you raise seems to get lost in the post. Then the message comes through that you need to cut costs by 20% – as if costs weren’t always nailed flat in the first place.... more