Nintendo, Apple and Google are the world's top three best companies, according to a new BusinessWeek top 40 chart.
The World's Best Companies/Global Top 40 list was compiled for BusinessWeek by management consulting firm A.T. Kearney.
Innovation, expansion, leadership
The top 40 is based on a number of factors, primarily "a commitment to innovation, diversified portfolios, aggressive expansion, strong leadership, and a clear vision for the future" with the top 40 coming from 18 countries.
Companies in the top 40 also come from a wide range of different industries "ranging from chemicals and contracting to software and shipbuilding."
However, it is notable that there are six tech and telecoms enterprises in the top 40 that have "tapped into continuing demand for mobile-phone services and new digital hardware and services", three of which are right at the top of the chart.
Japanese gaming giant Nintendo stands proudly at the top of the 2009 chart, with BusinessWeek noting that: "Its sales have risen 36 per cent annually over the past five years, while its value growth averaged 38 per cent. Despite the hard times of the past year, Nintendo's continued emphasis on innovation has helped the company develop must-haves such as the DS handheld game machine and the Wii console, which outsold rival offerings from Sony and Microsoft.
"Nintendo's strategy is emblematic of the tech companies on the list. Like Nintendo, American technology giants Google (No. 2), Apple (No. 3), and Amazon.com (No. 17) have continued to invest heavily in innovation, commanding large market share with new products even as consumer spending and confidence have declined sharply."
Via Businessweek.com
