>Business runs on a relatively short term outlook.
>
>Actually, they don't. The uncertainty in the market place is precisely why businesses here are not hiring right now.

Isn't that short term.

German industry (some might say quite successful) takes quite a long view of all investment. They've hung onto their workforces in the recession because they know that in the long run they will need those skilled employees.
German workers on short time working have been going on training courses to improve their skills not being laid off so shareholders can get their end of year payouts.

My brother in law runs a language school teaching business english to german workers and he has been doing very nicely thanks to this.