The growth of e-mail, Instant Messaging, SMS, web conferencing and the like – together with the decline in face-to-face meetings and phone calls – has broken all the accepted rules of business etiquette. This is the view of Microsoft’s unified communications manager Mark Deakin, as reported in The Times recently. Yes, he says, for sure [...]

Consider this little conversation. It’s imaginary, of course, but we know that caustic exchanges like this are a dime a dozen in family life. One fine morning, just as Jack begins to tuck into a hearty breakfast, his good wife, Jill, offers the following comment as she sighs deeply: “I woke up at six o’clock [...]