Cut or Grow?

Our latest quarterly poll of senior finance executives asked them to rank their strategic priorities for 2009. (See "Business Outlook Survey.") All consider top-line growth and cost-cutting as the top goals, but the degree of emphasis on these and other priorities varies by country. German companies will be the most focused on growth, while slashing costs is top of the list for French firms. British CFOs, meanwhile, said that they are planning on helping their companies strengthen core competencies.