http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinionBusiness News Analysis | Herald ScotlandenCopyright 2012 Herald & Times Group all rights reservedSat, 26 May 2012 13:45:03 PDTCopyright 2012 Herald & Times Group all rights reservednoBusiness News Analysis | Herald Scotlandhttp://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/if-profit-is-sanity-todays-property-market-is-an-alternative-reality.2012058825http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/if-profit-is-sanity-todays-property-market-is-an-alternative-reality.2012058825For many decades, philosophers have debated the existence of alternate realities and dimensions.http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/roller-coaster-start-is-just-the-first-chapter-for-facebooks-market-story.2012054266http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/roller-coaster-start-is-just-the-first-chapter-for-facebooks-market-story.2012054266It was almost predictable that Facebook’s exalted IPO (initial public offering) would be followed by an equally high-profile dip. As rollercoasters go, it took a good old nosedive, but Mark Zuckerberg shouldn’t worry about losing his lunch just yet.http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/fling-brings-in-the-money.17616163http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/fling-brings-in-the-money.17616163As a vast rural area with a small private sector, lacking an equivalent to Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Dumfries and Galloway has had to innovate with arts tourism through events like the Wigtown Book Festival, the Wickerman Festival (indie rock) and the Spring Fling arts and crafts festival.http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/where-does-government-source-funds.17636743http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/where-does-government-source-funds.17636743A tale of two official press releases this week: one constructive, the other less so.http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/herald-view.17599788http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/herald-view.17599788CLIVE Miquel's decision to bar The Herald from yesterday's meeting of shareholders in Lees Foods was as baffling as it was lamentable.http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/straight-talking.17490458http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/straight-talking.17490458The signals for the Scottish economy in recent weeks have been as changeable as the weather.Hopes that we might be emerging into some form of economic spring were raised last month, with news of a fall in unemployment and a significant rise in employment, between September and November and December to February on the International Labour Organisation measure.http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/how-business-enemies-could-do-better-by-becoming-friends.2012057485http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/how-business-enemies-could-do-better-by-becoming-friends.2012057485I’ve been hearing a lot of talk about competition and collaboration recently, and it has made my ears prick up and my nose twitch.http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/the-mix-for-better-tourism-more-staff-training-and-passion-and-better-air-routes.2012058627http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/the-mix-for-better-tourism-more-staff-training-and-passion-and-better-air-routes.2012058627JORDI TARRIDA, general manager of Turnberry Resort, suggests a way forward for Scottish tourismhttp://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/hair-shirted-approach-not-only-answer.17527444http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/hair-shirted-approach-not-only-answer.17527444In the latest series of that splendid panel show QI there is at least one question per show in which the answer for all – even the apparently all-knowing Stephen Fry – is "Nobody Knows".http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/clydesdales-retreat.17499956http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/clydesdales-retreat.17499956Call it Cameron Clyne's 'Derby' moment.http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/success-hidden-in-plain-view.17489977http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/success-hidden-in-plain-view.17489977To the Scottish Franchise Business Breakfast at the Glasgow Hilton on Thursday, invited to attend by Glasgow web-tech pioneer Wildfire, now developing specialist management apps for this flourishing under-the-radar sector.http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/when-business-success-comes-down-to-sharing.2012059289http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/when-business-success-comes-down-to-sharing.2012059289Law expert David Kaye says the franchise market in Scotland is booming as it embraces a business model of the futurehttp://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/theatrics-in-parliament.17429139http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/theatrics-in-parliament.17429139Last week's Energy, Enterprise and Tourism Committee was a riveting piece of parliamentary theatre, and a credit to the Scottish Parliament.http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/refinancing-deal-worse-than-one-struck-in-2009-x.17417312http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/refinancing-deal-worse-than-one-struck-in-2009-x.17417312JOHNSTON Press chief executive Ashley Highfield sought to put a brave face on a refinancing deal that one analyst described as "horrendous".http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/when-using-your-wealth-to-invest-is-a-social-benefit.2012041631http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/when-using-your-wealth-to-invest-is-a-social-benefit.2012041631Senior lawyer ALISON NEWTON argues that high finance can be a positive influence on societyhttp://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/scottish-tourism-we-cant-rest-on-our-laurels.2012043976http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/scottish-tourism-we-cant-rest-on-our-laurels.2012043976MIKE CANTLAY, chairman of VisitScotland, says it's never been more important for the country's tourism industry to shinehttp://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/balancing-act.17373896http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/balancing-act.17373896THE timing of last Thursday's Fraser of Allander/Herald Group seminar on the country's fiscal future could have been better for Michael Moore MP, the Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland.http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/fragmenting-family-firms-could-be-good-for-the-economy.2012045227http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/fragmenting-family-firms-could-be-good-for-the-economy.2012045227Senior lawyer STUART DUNCAN says careful planning can ensure the future success of family owned businesses in difficult trading timeshttp://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/social-media-all-new-businesses-can-learn-from-generation-y.2012048335http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/social-media-all-new-businesses-can-learn-from-generation-y.2012048335When it comes to social media, I don’t think a day goes by without it coming up in conversation as I carry out my role as Director with PSYBT.http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/why-big-is-never-beautiful-when-it-comes-to-banking.17300907http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/why-big-is-never-beautiful-when-it-comes-to-banking.17300907ECONOMIES of scale are an important way of getting the most out of industry, but in banking they have the opposite effect.http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/kelly-the-hero.17241315http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/opinion/kelly-the-hero.17241315Much surprised speculation in the wake of last week's scoop on the defenestration of the Scottish Investment Bank chief Gerard Kelly, thought to be a Scottish Enterprise "lifer" until, suddenly, he wasn't.nonadult