Mr McGowan's Learning Blog: The longevity of firms

Mr Marcus McGowan MSc PgDip BA (Hons)

is Enterprise Coordinator and Teacher of Business Education at Hamilton Grammar School.

I have provisional registration in Computing and GTC Professional Recognition for Enterprise and ICT.

I have developed materials for Learning and Teaching Scotland and BBC Bitesize for Higher Business Management as well as delivering many INSETs on blogging and podcasting.

I have links with the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship through SIFE, and am a committee member of the SBEA.

If you'd like to contact me about materials, resources, or this blog then please click on the link to: email me

Friday, 20 January 2012

The longevity of firms

Thought I would share a great article I read on the BBC called: "Can a company last forver"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16611040

We all know that when it comes to the product life cycle we sometimes have fads (which have very short lives) whereas classics such as Coca Cola seem to go on forever.

But can this idea be extended from products to actual companies themselves?

I found this incredible: "In Japan, there are more than 20,000 companies that are more than 100 years old, with a handful that are more than 1,000 years old, according to credit rating agency Tokyo Shoko Research."

I struggle to think what could be 1,000 years old in Japan! Possibly farming collectives? Or shipbuilders? I think I may investigate!