Interesting comments & analysis.
I just get the impression of an organisation that is seriously running out of cash but is in something of a denial about it ( perhaps a disbelief born out of a stubborn belief that they are "Jehovah's organisation" & he will make sure they are ok ). It is just a classic textbook situation where the management of a corporate entity are in an ivory tower & have a bunker mentality. The GB are just surrounded by yes men telling them how everything is wonderful while the organisation just slowly bleeds to death.
The press releases & reasons given for closing branches & reducing magazine sizes would seem to indicate this. Also the comment by the GB that they are building a new hq but aren't sure whether this is God's will or not would imply this as well - it has all the hallmarks of the WTBTS accountants telling the GB that there really isn't enough financing in place for this project and the GB just scratching their ( collective ) heads & backsides & wondering what to do. Firesales of properties at vastly reduced prices & mothballing of facilities all over the world are a sign of this as well.
The WTBTS only have themselves to blame for this shambles. In hindsight they have made two dreadful strategic errors. By demonising further education they have ensured that overall their membership has much lower net income than the general population & aren't in a position to bankroll the society like the membership of other religious groups. They really didn't need to do this - it has no scriptural basis & religions that have even nuttier beliefs than JWs ( such as Scientologists & Mormons ) still manage to recruit & retain graduates. And they should have come to some kind of settlement with the governments rather than scrapping payment for literature at source , thus drastically reducing ( by some estimates over 50% ) their income from literature sales.
The real concern for the WTBTS is that there is a massive cash crunch ( perhaps yet another major paedophile lawsuit ) & the society are really screwed. What on earth do they do if bailiffs are suddenly appearing at the doors at Brooklyn or Patterson? How on earth do they explain that to the rank & file? Persecution? Surely most of the R & F aren't going to buy that.