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"In another 50 years, would you expect Apple or Exxon to still be near the top of the list?". Is that a trick question? Exxon obviously - they make the thing w

by jrkelly 14y ago

"In another 50 years, would you expect Apple or Exxon to still be near the top of the list?". Is that a trick question? Exxon obviously - they make the thing we can't live without.

uptown 14y ago
50? Sure. But Exxon will also need to continue to evolve in order to ensure their relevance whenever the world's oil supply begins to wane. Probably won't be in our lifetime ... but someday something else will be more dominant out of necessity and Exxon won't necessarily be the one leading that charge.
- krakensden 14y ago
  Of course, as the supply of oil dwindles and demand grows, their volume will go down but their profit margin will go up.
  - uptown 14y ago
    Unless it becomes considerably more expensive to obtain, and/or affordable alternatives arise.
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
- sliverstorm 14y ago
  Even if they can't evolve, they have ridiculous amounts of cash. They could absorb a piece of whatever new wave comes along (assuming they missed that wave) and incorporate it. This is hard for product and most services businesses, but in the commodities business it ought to be much more workable.
  - yxhuvud 14y ago
    Yes, but they could just as well burn their money on something that don't pan out.
AznHisoka 14y ago
Ditto. Just wait for a Great Depression, and you'll see what're more expendable
soofaloofa 14y ago
The whole argument came apart right here. Exxon will certainly be near the top in 50 years.
nandemo 14y ago
I wouldn't bet either way. Just because people will be buying x in the future, it doesn't mean that today's top x companies will still be around in 50 years. The computer market is now much bigger than 50 years ago, but many computer companies of that time went broke. Just like we went from mainframes to personal computers, we'll probably be using much more renewable energy in 50 years, and it's not obvious that any given existing company will adapt to it. Also, there are mergers. Mobil and Texaco were in the top of the list in 1962, and now neither exists independently (merged into Exxon and Chevron resp.) so arguably they aren't in the list anymore.

by jrkelly 14y ago

"In another 50 years, would you expect Apple or Exxon to still be near the top of the list?". Is that a trick question? Exxon obviously - they make the thing we can't live without.

uptown 14y ago

50? Sure. But Exxon will also need to continue to evolve in order to ensure their relevance whenever the world's oil supply begins to wane. Probably won't be in our lifetime ... but someday something else will be more dominant out of necessity and Exxon won't necessarily be the one leading that charge.

krakensden 14y ago
Of course, as the supply of oil dwindles and demand grows, their volume will go down but their profit margin will go up.
- uptown 14y ago
  Unless it becomes considerably more expensive to obtain, and/or affordable alternatives arise.
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
sliverstorm 14y ago
Even if they can't evolve, they have ridiculous amounts of cash. They could absorb a piece of whatever new wave comes along (assuming they missed that wave) and incorporate it. This is hard for product and most services businesses, but in the commodities business it ought to be much more workable.
- yxhuvud 14y ago
  Yes, but they could just as well burn their money on something that don't pan out.

AznHisoka 14y ago

Ditto. Just wait for a Great Depression, and you'll see what're more expendable

soofaloofa 14y ago

The whole argument came apart right here. Exxon will certainly be near the top in 50 years.

nandemo 14y ago

I wouldn't bet either way. Just because people will be buying x in the future, it doesn't mean that today's top x companies will still be around in 50 years. The computer market is now much bigger than 50 years ago, but many computer companies of that time went broke. Just like we went from mainframes to personal computers, we'll probably be using much more renewable energy in 50 years, and it's not obvious that any given existing company will adapt to it. Also, there are mergers. Mobil and Texaco were in the top of the list in 1962, and now neither exists independently (merged into Exxon and Chevron resp.) so arguably they aren't in the list anymore.