VentureBeat - Latest Comments in Reader poll: When will the economic winter begin to thaw?

Re: Reader poll: When will the economic winter begin to thaw?

Mei Lin Fung — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:13:10 -0000

While I don't think we will enter an Ice Age we will be lucky if the turn around begins before the end of the year.....

it hasn't got so bad that people are willing to do what it will take to fix things ...... which includes fundamental re-thinking about market capitalism and the way people are recognized and rewarded for individual success.

Michael Hammer before his death, wrote in May 2007 about the "Seven Deadly Sins of Performance Measures" summarized here...http://www.customerthink.com/blog/...

Prescient foretelling of what was to come........

Re: Reader poll: When will the economic winter begin to thaw?

LEADSExplorer — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:06:50 -0000

The comparable previous recession (housing mortgages, bank collapses, cheap imports from US into Europe) was in 1873 and lasted 20 years in Europe.
Thus it will take longer than one year, but probably not 20 years.

Re: Reader poll: When will the economic winter begin to thaw?

Foo — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 22:18:32 -0000

Talk about babbling nonsense. Folks look only to the dotcom bubble burst. We didn't see venture investment pick up until mid 2003. But we had different conditions then. Things are actually worse today. Housing market collapse will drag down consumer spending which will depress a variety of sectors including manufacturing and ad spending. This already having negative impacts in the content world. Additionally the market caps of various acquiring companies have been slashed and thus the exit prices will also take a big haircut. American indebtedness is at all time highs while saving is at all time lows.

This winter could turn into an ice age.

Re: Reader poll: When will the economic winter begin to thaw?

Michael F. Martin — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 14:50:35 -0000

The thaw began when the excessive optimism turned into excessive pessimism, about six weeks ago.

Re: Reader poll: When will the economic winter begin to thaw?

Linda — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 14:24:41 -0000

I think we won't see a thaw until at least December.

Re: Reader poll: When will the economic winter begin to thaw?

Gadget Sleuth — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 13:14:45 -0000

I'd say maybe mid-year or so, maybe a little later. The core issues that caused these troubles are beginning to be addressed (and most of us know what those are), but not fully yet. Until they are, the economic winter will keep blasting.