JIMMYG, Thank god in your second post you "wholeheartedly agreed".
This talk about the interests of share holders makes the hair in my neck stand up. (dutch expression)
I know, I know, shareholders are important but most of them are only interested in financial return and have no involvement in the daily running whatsoever.
All of the beancounters and (brainwashed) flightdept. managers have gotten used to this way of thinking/behaving and bear with it to finance their own asses, what a shame.
But then, unfortunately, this is real life and we have to deal with it until.....it maybe turns around sometime. The financial crisis might just be the start of that change.
Perhaps people come just a little bit more first again, instead of money. Who knows. Wishful thinking or.....?