company of the week

General Electric Co. manufactures electrical equipment, lighting products and household appliances. It also owns the broadcasting network NBC. In terms of market capitalization, GE is the world's second largest company and also second in the BrandZ ranking. In the 1960s, aspects of U.S. tax laws and accounting practices led to a rise in the assembly of conglomerates. GE, which was a conglomerate long before the term was coined, is arguably the most successful organization of this type.

One of the largest private economic conglomerates in Brazil, the Votorantim Group has large positions in cement and concrete, mining and metals (aluminum, zinc, nickel and steel), as well as paper and pulp production. Described by the Wall Street Journal as "a tropical style General Electric," Votorantim also produces concentrated orange juice and specialty chemicals, and is involved in a number of electric generation projects (often to service its own industrial operations). Its financial arm is Banco Votorantim.

Manpower Inc. is a world leader in the employment services industry; they oversee the entire process of recruitment from selection to training to outplacement. Operating in nearly 78 countries around the world, primarily the third world and developing nations, Manpower effectively replaces the responsibility of companies or corporations to find, profile and train employees.

Bridgestone Corporation is based in Tokyo, Japan. The largest subsidiary of Bridgestone is the Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc., which is based in Nashville, TN and includes Firestone. The company is most well known for the production of tires. Bridgestone/Firestone has been the focus of an international campaign related to labor and environmental problems on its rubber plantation in Liberia.

MM Mining, a Bahamas-based firm with Indian owners, has signed an agreement with The Togolese Government to extract bauxite on the Agou Mountain and elsewhere in Togo. It is a Public Limited Company with a capital of approximately 1.5 billion CFA francs as of 2007. The company sent attendees to the AMEC mining conference. MM Mining intends to invest US $41 Million in mineral extraction throughout Togo, as of 2007.