BP, which this week put its Shetland oil frontier on hold and threatened to scrap hundreds of new jobs, is risking a far more serious outrage - it is backing England for the World Cup.
Scottish motorists returning from south of the Border bring word of forecourts plastered with ''We're supporting England'', and festooned with the wrong colours.
Spokesman Dave Nicholas put a swift defensive wall in place as I aimed the ball at him with the obvious question.
''We are doing some promotional stuff in Scotland where customers can win Scottish football shirts, mini-footballers and footballs.''
But you are supporting England, actually?
''We are doing the England support thing as a marketing initiative in England.''
So you are not really supporting them then?
''We are supporting them in England.'' (Stand by for the marketing understatement of the year.) ''In Scotland that is not appropriate.''
Early bath time
WEIR Pumps is fighting back. It is offering its 1200 employees the chance to go home 45 minutes early on June 10 to catch the Scotland-Brazil kick-off.
However, in order to reach the finals, they have to go through a qualifying stage: ''All that employees have to do is to start work 15 minutes earlier for three days to qualify to take part,'' said the company.
It goes on to say, surprisingly: ''All the indications are that the scheme will be keenly supported by soccer-mad Scotland fans.''
Weir sought the views of several employee groups on the best way to allow an early finish without affecting productivity.
Human resources general manager Roy Stewart is however sending the fans off with a caution: ''Our employees recognise it is a one-off initiative for a unique occasion.''
What's in a name
NEXT time you are in the reassuring surroundings of the Rat & Parrot, Scruffy Murphy's or Mr Q's, you will really be hankering back to the good old days of the King's Head, Rose & Crown and Coach & Horses, according to the latest all-seeing pub entrepreneur.
Bernard Wright, who this week bought 40 Beefeater pub-restaurants from Whitbread for #36m, said we don't want to be branded after all.
He plans to ''get the pub back to its local marketplace''. The 40 pubs will have their old names (or similar) lovingly restored to titles such as The Old George, Red Lion and Halfway House. But Wright has no plans to change the name of his new-fangled Crowded House Pub Company.
Ticked off
SCOTTISH Gas's commitment to employing disabled people will be recognised on Monday, when it is presented with the Employment Service disability symbol.
Companies which use the ''two ticks'' symbol have to fulfil five specific commitments, and Scottish Gas is the first of the British Gas businesses to be recognised.
Margaret McKinlay, director of Scottish Gas, said: ''The business can benefit not only from improved customer service but also through diversity in the workplace.''
Recruitment company Pertemps Caledonian will also be recognised for taking a consistent approach on board in its work for Scottish Gas.
Beating the bug
SCOTTISH businesses have found a solution to the Year 2000 problem.
A new survey by Coopers & Lybrand has found that, according to one company, all you have to do is: 1, unplug all computers on December 31, 1999; 2, plug them back in again on January 1, 2000, and; 3, hope for the best.
Coopers will, of course, be focusing on how to avoid 4, close down the business.
Local warning
PROFESSOR Tom Cannon, author of the best-selling Welcome to the Revolution, will lead the latest Globalisation & The Information Age seminar in Scotland on June 9.
The seminars are hosted by Glasgow Development Agency and backed by Scottish Enterprise and Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Limited.
Cannon will warn: ''The local company can soon become the uncompetitive company.'' Contact IMS on 0131-665-3717.
Scripture secrets
THE Old Testament can still serve as a business textbook for Neil Hood, Strathclyde University's Professor of Business Policy.
Hood, business adviser to several companies including ScottishPower, Kwik-Fit and Motherwell Bridge, is the guest speaker at the National Prayer Breakfast, which celebrates its tenth anniversary at Murrayfield Stadium on Monday.
He will ask the 500 distinguished guests to consider a quote from the second chapter of the first book of Samuel - ''Those who honour me, I will honour'' - and how it applies to their working, social and family lives, informs their priorities and the use of their resources.
Hood says Christians in prominent positions in the business community are sometimes faced with tough dilemmas: ''Hard commercial choices sometimes have to be made which can have repercussions for employees. These decisions can be taken in a certain spirit if they are guided by the principle of honour. It is a very old promise, but it can still have a major impact on the conduct of our lives.''
Among those at the breakfast will be Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Jim Wallace, in the chair, Lord and Lady Mackay of Clashfern who host the event, and Sir Tom Farmer who along with Lady Natasha Wilson will read a passage of scripture.
The event was founded in 1988 by an all-party group of Parliamentarians.
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