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Business News in Brief: Denmark applauded for flat hierarchies

Ross McPherson
October 23rd, 2018


This article is more than 6 years old.

In other news, new money laundering accusations and evidence of tax fraud muddy the markets as consumer confidence falls

Thriving in the office (office: Pixabay)

Denmark ranks number one in the world for its workforce’s “willingness to delegate authority” at work, according to the 2018 World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report, which found Denmark the tenth most competitive out of the 140 countries included.

The report cited Denmark’s highly-skilled and flexible labour market, adding that equality among co-workers in the office hierarchies support good workplace environments and healthy corporate cultures.

Denmark was also ranked number one for macroeconomic stability.


Nordea money laundering scandal escalates
A new leak suggests Nordea laundered 1.5 billion kroner through 527 accounts connected to a Finnish branch. William Browder, the head of the hedge fund Hermitage Capital Management (HCM) gone whistle-blower, sent the 15-page document to the Finnish authorities and the Financial Times, which later published the document. HCM claims it was the victim of a theft of 1.4 billion kroner organised by Russian officials and organised criminals – a case that is often referred to as the Magnitsky case.

Royal Dutch Shell offloading Danish interest
Royal Dutch Shell is selling its shares in Olie-og Gasudvinding Danmark BV (SOGU) for 1.8 billion US dollars to Norwegian Energy Company ASA (Noreco). The shares are held by its affiliated company Shell Overseas Holdings (SOH). The decision comes as part of SOH’s strategy to simplify and diversify its portfolio. The agreement still needs regulatory approval, but if successful Noreco will take over all operating responsibilities from Shell.

Danish pension funds step away from tax fraud
Danish pension funds ATP, PFA and PKA are distancing themselves from Australian bank Macquarie due to its involvement in an ongoing tax fraud scandal. The Danish funds and Macquarie purchased Danish telecommunications giant TDC, adding that it will not end co-operation on that investment.

Danes concerned about the market
National consumer confidence fell by 18 percent in September, according to a monthly survey conducted by the National Statistics Office. Speculators believe the drop has been partly caused by the ongoing money-laundering scandals of both Danske Bank and Nordea, along with the recent seizure of the Copenhagen Stock Exchange.


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A survey carried out by Megafon for TV2 has found that 71 percent of parents have handed over children to daycare in spite of them being sick.

Moreover, 21 percent of those surveyed admitted to medicating their kids with paracetamol, such as Panodil, before sending them to school.

The FOLA parents’ organisation is shocked by the findings.

“I think it is absolutely crazy. It simply cannot be that a child goes to school sick and plays with lots of other children. Then we are faced with the fact that they will infect the whole institution,” said FOLA chair Signe Nielsen.

Pill pushers
At the Børnehuset daycare institution in Silkeborg a meeting was called where parents were implored not to bring their sick children to school.

At Børnehuset there are fears that parents prefer to pack their kids off with a pill without informing teachers.

“We occasionally have children who that they have had a pill for breakfast,” said headteacher Susanne Bødker. “You might think that it is a Panodil more than a vitamin pill, if it is a child who has just been sick, for example.”

Parents sick and tired
Parents, when confronted, often cite pressure at work as a reason for not being able to stay at home with their children.

Many declare that they simply cannot take another day off, as they are afraid of being fired.

Allan Randrup Thomsen, a professor of virology at KU, has heavily criticised the parents’ actions, describing the current situation as a “vicious circle”.

“It promotes the spread of viruses, and it adds momentum to a cycle where parents are pressured by high levels of sick-leave. If they then choose to send the children to daycare while they are still recovering, they keep the epidemic going in daycares, and this in turn puts a greater burden on the parents.”