“Ask yourself this question: Aside from the company where you or members of your family work, how many companies do you actually care about? We think that for a lot of us, there are only four: Starbucks, Apple, Google and Amazon — call them the SAGA companies. Of course, reducing what’s exciting about American business to SAGA is an exaggeration, but stay with us for a bit while we make a case that these four corporations represent a distinctive and distinctively American contribution to 21st-century capitalism,” James Ledbetter and Jacob Weisberg write for The Washington Post.
“The SAGA companies do very different things and are of hugely different sizes: Google’s market capitalization is about $158 billion; Starbucks is down to about $12 billion. Yet they share some remarkable traits. At the most basic level, each has transformed not only a specific commercial marketplace but also some important aspect of contemporary life — computing and music for Apple, information and advertising for Google, coffee for Starbucks, books for Amazon. In doing so, each has had an appreciable impact on our daily routines, taken on a looming presence in popular culture, and often engendered an intensity of feeling more often associated with tastes in entertainment or political views. Together, they have created a new model of business innovation, culture and values,” Ledbetter and Weisberg write.
The SAGA companies’ common traits:
• They have a ubiquitous presence
• They reflect the comparative advantage of today’s America…
• …yet they are genuinely global
• They are restless innovators: For the most part, SAGA companies don’t invent; they perfect… What SAGA companies have taught the world is that there is strong business sense in focusing maniacally on what customers want and then finding the most effective ways to deliver it.
• They follow their founders
• They engage consumers on an almost spiritual level
Much more in the full article – highly recommended – here.
I don’t care about Amazon. Never go there.
Nothing much to say other than it was a good read. Their viewpoint was interesting.
Forget about Amazon and add eBAY.
eBay would make it SAGe. Just not as adventuresome as SAGA.
Starbucks? What, are they too good for the coffee at Taco Bell?
I get all kinds of stuff from Amazon – cookware, dotMac renewals (oops, MobileMe), etc. – not just books. I got tired of brick-and-mortar places often being out of stock on the one thing I want, so I pretty much go to Amazon first now.
I hit Starbucks all the time (I drive all over the place, and I can always rely on them for a decent cup of joe, free WiFi, and a clean bathroom)… I use Google and my Mac daily… So yeah, I guess I fit that mold.
Still trying to figure out how Apple wasn’t alone at the top 4 spots? Then you could add the others in at 5, 6, and 7. That would be more factual.
Freakin’ scary!
I hate being so clearly defined.
Dang it, what’s the Dull phone number, I need to get me a change of lifestyle, add little frustration to my life.
Does anyone really “care about google”? If they disappeared tomorrow, people would just use Yahoo or Ask.
People may prefer Google, but thats anbout it.
Amazon…..maybe slightly
Starbucks…definitly…although I personally don’t care.
I used to love eBay and had no reason for Amazon. Now those rolls are reversed.
eBay is dying a slow death…Hopefully they have a “do not resuscitate” order on file unlike Napster…LOL
MDN Magice Word: Mean
As for Yahoo, please, give me a break…I inform people to avoid it like the plague.
Haha—TowerTone…
That Taco Bell…they innovate alright. They take the exact same 7-10 ingredients … and voila!
Actually, I agree that SAGA is a bit elite-ish, and could include a few others.
@GranitW
Amazon is Wal-Mart from your home computer. They sell just about everything and do it conveniently. They will survive long after portals like Yahoo die.
They are a true store, like HSN
and are competitive pricewise. Their stock price is affordable compared to many. The difficulty, like Sirius/XM is continuously reinventing themselves to have more value and interest.
Starbucks?!? are you kidding? That’s tantamount to “caring” for McDonald’s or Pizza Hut. Might as well throw in your favorite sports team?!? and automobile manufacturer…
Apple & Google are simply in a COMPLETELY different realm than Starbucks & Amazon… nice try though
Don’t see Starbucks telling you whose sugar you can and cannot put in your coffee.
Starbucks has oversaturatred the marketplace, and recently announced that 600 stores will be shutting down. I predicted this to my wife a few years ago.
Starbucks also think they can teach Europeans what capuccino is all about, when that’s where they learned of capuccino in the first place. I first had capuccino in Europe long before I ever heard of Starbucks. And it didn’t cost an arm and a leg.
Starbucks isn’t bad coffe, but it’s JUST coffee. I normally stay away from them because I refuse to pay $4.00 for a cup of joe, and it’s for people who have personal shrinks and blog about it.
I’d remove Starbucks from the list.
Starbucks? Aren’t they closing around 600 stores? I guess not enough of us are showing them the love.
@ quad core
Who cares about Google? If it disappeared tomorrow, I for one would lose my preferred email account, SketchUp, Google Earth, Google Maps, Google News, YouTube, and Google Scholar. All of which I use very, very regularly. Oh yes, and Google search. I bet there are lots of folks out there like me.
Now, Starbucks? I don’t drink much coffee, so I might not miss them so much.
Starbucks? Never been in one.
Apple, Google – Hell yes!
Amazon, well, OK.
Forget about Amazon and add eBAY. —Richard A Tell
eBay? You’re joking, right? eBay was a great idea in the beginning, but has long since become so infested with predatory sellers that today’s eBay is actually a very risky place to shop.
Amazon is Wal-Mart from your home computer. —Orange Juice
Hardly! Wal-Mart is as well-known for their limited selection as for their low prices. Amazon carries everything. They also pay the return postage when you send something back.
“eBay would make it SAGe. Just not as adventuresome as SAGA.”
SEGA
What about Craigslist.
I love that site.
@Quad Core
If all you use Google is to search the internet, then you’d be correct. But I use Google, not just everyday, but almost every hour… Google Docs, gmail, Google maps, and most importantly, Google calendar.
Personally, the companies I care about would include, besides Apple, Coca-cola, Nike, and probably Gary Fisher… their products I use everyday (or would like to, in the case of GF).
What the hell does Bob Saget have to do with any of these companies?