The conclusions drawn from such an analysis are to transfer the surplus cash from a conglomerate’s cash cows to the stars and the question marks, and to close down or sell off the dogs.

They then assigned the men in the sample a socioeconomic status score between zero and 96, on a scale drawn up in 1950 (which was as close to 1910 as they could get).

As, my own professional career drawn to an inevitable close - except for the reprieve of a small Renaissance in Beijing - yours is just about to begin.