A few days ago was Remembrance Day and for every country in the world, sooner or later some of its citizens will die in armed conflict. It is worth shutting down the markets for the day, because some things are more important than making money. As a North American, my bias in remembering WW I and II is for the Allied forces partly because relatives enlisted in the armed forces and some lost their lives. It is very important to remember the same words at the Remembrance Day ceremonies are said for the other side’s Remembrance Day ceremony. That part seems to be missing while attending the ceremony. The leaders of the countries all made decisions which to them were the right thing to do and to achieve their ends used the propaganda machine to achieve the good will of the people they represent.

The propaganda machine is used on both sides, the latest and most outrageous one was the weapon of mass destruction, whatever that was suppose to be, but from a message selling point of view – it meant whatever you wanted it to be and was truly an effective message. In business war words are often used but the results do not kill people for they are customers and are needed. Wars represented different problems – if you are a manufacturer you want to diversify your portfolio and ship to all the countries who desire your product. Some of the countries at one time or another are not friends of your host country. Do you ship? do you continue with the profitable business? if you have no particular concern with the country, do you find ways around it? at what stage do you go back into the country? seemingly easy answers become hard ones.

Linking to dividend providing stocks, unless the company has a monopoly or monopoly like position in a region, you will want to ensure there is consistent and profitable diversification where the company earns its money. Diversification has many good roles to play, as you move across country borders, there are simple questions to ask about friends and enemies and how the roles sometimes switch for little good reasons and the best methods to act in those situations.

There are more questions than answers, till the next time – to raising questions.