A new study circulating through hedge funds and university campuses points to the powerful role that old-school ties play in the world of investing.

The Global Workforce Index 2006, an international workplace survey carried out by employment agency, Kelly Services, has found that Denmark has the happiest workforce, with 74% of employees saying they are satisfied with their jobs. Mexico and Sweden followed with 71%.

The best bosses being found in Mexico, USA and Canada, and the worst in Sweden, Italy and Turkey. Employers were rated on four attributes – communication, leadership, team spirit and delegation skills. Read the complete article here.

The Danish government has published ReD Associates’ analysis and recommendations for global promotion of Denmark within exports, investments, tourism, research, culture etc.

It is very interesting reading, and I recommend looking through it. It might change the way you are promoting your Danish products. Read the Executive summary in English here or the full report here in Danish (7,5MB)

At the Danish Business Summit in Atlanta Nov. 2006, the question was raised if you as a Danish company in the US should promote and market your company and products as being Danish? Here is what the people interviewed in the report said:

“Danish people are competent, I feel comfortable in Denmark, what they [Danes] say will get done gets done, efficiently. What I would like to see is more publicity for Danish goods and why they are so good’” Russ Dailey, USA

“Danish companies and products are characterized by technology and high quality” Zacharias Karacristo, Brazil

“Danish companies as well as products are characterized by quality and that they provide innovative solutions rather than just a product” Paulo Ribeiro, Brazil

“Unless you spend a lot of time and effort in making something the best in the world, or the highest quality, Denmark could not exist. And I think that principle applies to the products and companies that Danes make. The best in the world, or highly differentiated” Chulwoong Sohn, South Korea

“High quality, strong design, not mass market, not trying to be global, but picking one or two key competences” Angus MacLennan, UK

“Danish products are very good - a guarantee of quality as opposed to e.g. American products” Galina Bogoljubova, Russia

“Danish products are high value, good quality, probably expensive” Scott Supernaw, USA

“The fact that a product is “made in Denmark” is a quality mark” Edson Petrillo, Brazil

“Very high quality… but not really marketed products. Few people know that the product they buy is actually Danish.” Bimal Raizada, India

The report concludes that Danish goods should be promoted as “Made in Denmark” due to the strong brand that Danish goods and services have as being quality and world class.

So forget Janteloven for a while and start telling the story about your product being DANISH and let’s help Denmark, Danish tourism and your company’s sales by mentioning Denmark every chance we get.

5 Danish companies in the Top 25 The World’s Most Reputable Companies. Lego, A. P. Moller-Maersk, Danfoss, Velux and Novo Nordisk. See the complete list here.

“Reputation” has become a watchword in the corporate world, and safeguarding a company’s image is now a top priority for many CEOs. That’s one reason why the Reputation Institute, a New York consulting firm, decided to rate the reputations of the biggest companies in the world. The results may surprise you; only one American company, for example, made it into the top ten worldwide.” Read the complete article here.