Forbes Most Admired Companies of All Time

Money/Fortune Magazine - Most Admired Companies 1983-2009

The purpose of the this paper is to analyze Fortune Magazines Most Admired Companies from 1983 to 2009 and evaluate how the top 10 ranked companies for each year changed over time. Through the analysis of Fortunes ranking methodology, an assessment of the social, political and economic realities over this time period, and an examination of companies represented on the list, an assessment can be made of the companies represented on Fortunes list and how the “Most Admired Companies” survey evolved over time.

The annual ranking of Fortune Magazine’s top company’s has historically been based on a survey and polling process of select corporation personnel focusing on eight specific attributes: Innovation, People Management, Use of Corporate Assets, Social Responsibility, Quality of Management, Financial Soundness, Long-Term Investment, and Quality of Products/Services. The attributes remained consistent until 2009 when a ninth one was added: Global Competitiveness. (CNN Money, 2009) Generally speaking, the nine attributes are both general and specific enough to use in evaluating a company’s capabilities and success, and from the perspective of an MBA student, they have the ability to highlight what I would consider to be some of the key attributes of a successful business. The standardized way of assessing company’s by Fortune has provided them a consistent control which stands the test of time and supports a methodology which provides both flexibility and wide application across all sectors of industry. From this perspective the attributes also represent a fair and universally accepted foundation from which to evaluate the criteria of “admired.” This supposition would support the notion that a ranking qualified in 1983 would be consistent with one ascertained in 2009.

A key observations made when charting the four years I selected for this assignment (1983, 1989, 1999 and...