World's Biggest Companies

What is the world's biggest company by market cap (total financial value)?

1. How accurate was your prediction?

2. What surprised you about this list?

3. Which of the top 5 companies do you use/visit?

4. Which of the top 5 companies have you never heard of?

5. What questions do you have?

6. How many of the top 5 companies are American (hint: look at the names)?

7. Would it be more accurate to describe this chart as business globalization or business Americanization?

8. What kind of businesses are the most powerful companies (manufacturing, tech, financial, energy)?

9. If you wanted to advise someone how to get rich. What would you tell them to sell?

10. The Market cap (financial value) of Facebook is greater than the GDP (financial value) of Finland. Share your thoughts about the relative power of corporations in the comments section below:

Learning Extension

Learn more about the world's most valuable businesses in this PWC report.

Action Extension

Ask ten people to name the world's ten biggest companies and share the results in class or on social media.

Bonus Visual from 2012*

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As of 2012