Private firms that grow big!

A big bank holiday hat tip to Mark Duncan for spotting a wonderful BBC article that should be placed immediately into any self-respecting SOW. The article is perfect for explaining some of the benefits of remaining as a private company rather than floating shares on a public stock exchange.

The key message is that being a private company doesn’t necessarily mean being a small firm. The article describes how the private firms featured have gone on to build a substantial presence in key global markets - all without the need to keep external shareholders happy!

However, the article works on many other levels. For example, it provides useful research evidence for students preparing for AQA BUSS4 questions on CSR. Do private firms take their social responsibilities as seriously as they might given that their activities are subject to less public scrutiny than their quoted competitors? The example of US giant Cargill is one to consider - Greenpeace don’t appear to be a fan!