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REVIEW 200/INTRODUCTION Something for All In a Time of Flux It's that time again: REVIEW readers rate the top corporations in the Asia-Pacific region. This year new companies join the rankings and there are changes at the top By Michael Somers/HONG KONG Issue cover-dated December 26, 2002 - January 02, 2003
Charts:
* Country leaders 1
* Biggest concerns for 2002 IN THIS, THE 10TH year of the REVIEW 200--our annual survey that asks readers to rank companies in the region by their leadership qualities--there are significant additions: Chinese firms make their debut, as do well-regarded Asian companies, in the list of multinational corporations that we ask readers to rate. In previous surveys, Asian conglomerates were restricted to being rated in the context of their home market. Their inclusion in the ranking of multinationals gives a more realistic view of Asian corporate clout. The debut of China's leading companies in our list, in spite of the fact that many are hampered by strict state controls and lack of transparency, was logical given the country's pace of economic growth and its impact on the region. As in past years, ACNielsen International Research (Hong Kong) conducted the survey, asking readers to rank 210 multinational corporations and between 25 and 37 local companies in each of 12 countries. Overall, Microsoft still holds the top position. Readers rate the software behemoth the No. 1 multinational corporation for the eighth year. Nokia, the world's largest maker of mobile phones, edges up one notch to No. 2. Although our readers see Nokia snapping at Bill Gates' heels, the Finnish phone giant is the one facing a significant competitive challenge from Microsoft, which wants to make its software a handset-computing standard. Nokia's advance comes at the expense of General Electric, which plunges to No.13. Joining the American conglomerate in its fall from the top 10 are: computer giant IBM (from fifth last year to No. 11); finance firm Visa (seventh to No. 12); food giant Nestle (10th to No. 14); and entertainment icon Walt Disney (ninth to No. 23). Two respected heavyweights in their respective industries return to the list. Sports-shoe and apparel maker Nike advances two places to land 9th, having last been top-10-ranked in 2000. BMW--since 1999 most admired for its luxury cars--jumped to 6th place from 12th last year. The German car maker last made the top 10 in 1998. Three Asian giants debut in the multinationals list--Sony at No. 3, Toyota at No. 5 and Samsung Electronics at No. 10. Their presence is hardly surprising. For the past five years, readers in Japan have consistently rated Toyota and Sony either No. 1 or No. 2 overall, and for the South Koreans there has been no better industry leader than Samsung Electronics since 1999. Overall, 13 Japanese corporations make the top 100, suggesting that Japanese companies remain highly regarded even though the country's economy remains distressed. But the year has been China's. It has been a year since the world's biggest consumer market joined the World Trade Organization. Despite remarkable progress, it is clear that private business has far to go before it gains parity with state-owned giants. This is reflected in our list of Chinese companies, where the constituents have been assessed on operating income. The basis is the China Enterprise Evaluation Association's 2001-02 report on large enterprises. China continues to power ahead. Brimming with confidence, Beijing forecasts GDP growth of 7.9% in 2003, while the rest of the world remains mired in a slump and frets about a recovery in the United States. Among the former "tiger economies," 70% of Taiwan respondents felt business was more vulnerable to the U.S. downturn in 2002 than in 2001. Yet the optimists do have a place in the 2003 picture and beyond. Business prospects are looking up--78% of those in China think so and 73% in India. Across the region only 29% are pessimistic. Readers think that in the next five years, manufacturing, information technology, biotechnology and telecommunications will boom. in association with
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