Nestlé Library
Best Companies
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1) "Franchise 500". Anonymous; Entrepreneur. Vol. 36, Iss. 1. Jan, 2008. p. 172.
The table of contents for the special section in the January 1, 2008 issue of the journal Entrepreneur is presented.
2) "The Rankings". Levering, R., M. Moskowitz and A. Fisher.; Fortune. Vol. 157, Iss. 2. Feb 4, 2008. p. 75.
Fortune ranks the top 100 best companies to work for and profiles each briefly.
3) "Best Companies for Diversity". Alleyne, S., E.R. Johnson, S. McRae, et al.; Black Enterprise. Vol. 37, Iss. 12. Jul, 2007. p. 106.
The article offers information on the Best Companies for Diversity List compiled by the periodical "Black Enterprise." It notes that of the $4 billion spent by Johnson Controls Inc. for procurement, nearly 23 percent was spent with ethnic minority suppliers in 2006. It mentions that African Americans represent 18 percent of Aetna's more than 30,000 employees. It states that Aflac Inc. views diversity as a key competitive advantage.
4) "The 25 Most Innovative Companies". McGregor, J., A. McConnon, A. Wintraub and S. Holmes.; Business Week. Iss. 4034. May 14, 2007. p. 52.
Given all the hype, a period of disillusionment about innovation appears to be setting in. According to the 2007 BusinessWeek-Boston Consulting Group annual survey of senior executives, just 46% of respondents said they were satisfied with their return on innovation spending, down from 52% last year. The leaders of companies on this year's BusinessWeek-BCG list of the World's Most Innovative Companies recognize that developing breakthrough products, revamping operational processes, and coming up with new business models doesn't happen overnight. Instead of relying on gimmicks or incremental line extensions, they're working to build organizations that are capable of sustained innovation. They understand that requires taking risks and investing for the long term. And they focus on the things that really matter, such as hiring the most talented employees and providing them with the environment they need to thrive. Getting people to step out of their comfort zones can do a lot to spark new ideas. But if they're not paired with more fundamental changes, all those efforts will go nowhere. The best companies seem to be managing a balance of a few high-profile programs aimed at getting employees to think differently and more fundamental processes that make sure the work actually gets done. One of the most important lessons executives have learned about innovation in the past few years is that companies shouldn't go it alone. Increasingly, companies are drawing business partners and suppliers into innovation networks. That brings more minds to bear and speeds up product development. Chances are, retooling a company's approach to innovation won't get traction unless the CEO throws all of his or her weight behind it. There are no shortcuts when it comes to innovation, and little magic involved. Putting the right structures, processes, and people in place should occur as a matter of course - not as an exception. Innovation also requires inspired leadership.
5) "The 400 Best Big Companies in America". Zajac, B.; Forbes. Vol. 179, Iss. 1. 2007. p. 99.
The list of "Forbes" magazine's "400 Best Big Companies in America" is presented. Boeing is the best company in aerospace and defense. Bank of America is listed as the best banking company. Accenture is the best company in business services and supplies. Barr Pharmaceuticals is the best company in drugs and biotechnology.
6) "200 Best Small Companies: The Top 10". Gage, J. and C. Settimi.; Forbes. Vol. 180, Iss. 9. Oct 29, 2007. p. 114.
The top 10 small companies in America are highlighted, including: 1. Hansen Natural, 2. NutriSystem, 3. Under Aromour, 4. VSE, 5. Quality Systems, 6. PetMed Express, 7. LHC, 8. Dynamic Materials, 9. Deckers Outdoor, and 10. Bolt Technology.
7) "The Forbes 400: at Your Service ". Anonymous; Forbes. Vol. 180, Iss. 7. Oct 8, 2007. p. 208.
This article profiles several titans on the Forbes 400 list who made their fortunes cooking your meals, placing your bets, and tucking you in at night. Among those featured are: 1. Jim C. Walton of Wal-Mart with $16.3 billion, 2. Jack Crawford Taylor & family of Enterprise Rent-A-Car with $14 billion, 3. Truett Cathy of Chick-fil-A with $1.3 billion, 4. John Menard of Menard's with $7.3 billion, 5. Charles Schwab of Charles Schwab & Co with $5.5 billion, 6. Ty Warner of Beanie Babies with $4.1 billion, 7. Wayne Hughes of Public Storage with $3.7 billion, 8. Richard DeVos of Alticor with $3.6 billion, 9. Richard Schulze of Best Buy with $3.4 billion, and 10. Edgar Bronfman Sr of Seagram with $3.2 billion.
8) "America's Most Admired Companies". Fisher, A.; Fortune. Vol. 155, Iss. 5. Mar 19, 2007. p. 88.
In 1982, the year of the first FORTUNE survey of corporate reputations, green was just the color of money. These days "green" means something more. The three Most Admired Companies this year--General Electric, Starbucks, and Toyota--are building their growth at least partly on strategies and products aimed at helping preserve the planet. What America's Most Admired Companies had in common back then was mostly their sheer size. IBM was No. 1. Only two companies on that first list--General Electric and Johnson & Johnson--appear in the current top ten. This year GE takes the top spot overall for the seventh time in a decade. The handful of companies that have consistently won the applause of their peers over this quarter-century have adapted to the changing environment in ways that Darwin never dreamed of, and they plan to keep it up. It's no coincidence that the top three companies on the list are among the most vocal about how green they are.
9) "The World's Most Admired Companies". Levenson, E.; Fortune. Vol. 155, Iss. 5. Mar 19, 2007. p. 92.
Consistency is king when it comes to the global Most Admired Companies list. Eight of last year's top ten made a return appearance, with General Electric leading the pack for the seventh time in nine years. Toyota kept its No. 2 position, while Apple continued its meteoric rise to No. 5, outstripping Microsoft (No. 8). Europe's most admired, BMW, rose to its highest position in the global survey's history at No. 9.
10) "The Top Companies for Leaders". Hajim, C.; Fortune. Vol. 156, Iss. 7. Oct 1, 2007. p. 109.
The article discusses "How They Do It," an article published within the issue that ranks the best companies for producing global leaders.
11) "50 Best Small & Medium Companies to Work for in America. (Cover story)". Anonymous; HRMAGAZINE. Vol. 52, Iss. 7. Jul, 2007. p. 43.
The magazine's staff devoted time and space to profile winning companies. They were selected and ranked by the Great Place to Work® Institute Inc., a global workplace research and consulting firm headquartered in San Francisco, California in two categories which are small companies with 50 to 250 U.S.-based full-and part-time employees, and medium companies with 251 to 999 employees.
12) "Benchmark Data. (Cover story)". Anonymous; HRMAGAZINE. Vol. 52, Iss. 7. Jul, 2007. p. 49.
The article discusses how the best companies out of the 321 participants were chosen for the 50 best small and medium companies to work for in the U.S. For this year's competition, 321 companies participated in the entire selection process, including distributing a 57-question survey to their workforce, completing a management questionnaire, and submitting annual reports, employee handbooks and other materials for review.
13) "Working Mother 100 Best Chart". Riss, S., T. Palagano and A. Ebron.; Working Mother. Vol. 30, Iss. 7. Oct, 2007. p. 80.
Provides a chart of the 100 best companies for working mothers. The chart documents the benefits of each company.