Adaptation and survival often go hand in hand. True, some companies, such as Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO), can figure out one thing, do it extremely well and enjoy success for decade after decade. For other major companies, though, continued prosperity has come from management teams willing to see a different future for the company and unafraid of making large scale changes to the enterprise. (For related reading, also take a look at Behind The Big Brands.)
1. DuPont
DuPont (NYSE:DD) is a great starting point when talking about companies that have adapted over time. Now known as one of the world's largest chemical companies, DuPont got its start in gunpowder. DuPont was so successful in gunpowder, in fact, that the company supplied something like half of the Union's needs during the Civil War.
From its origins in explosives, DuPont ultimately added other businesses like lacquers and synthetic rubber before inventing the first polyesters, nylon, Teflon and the first phenothiazine insecticide. Along the way, the company continued to pioneer new plastics and synthetics, but also products in fields like crop science (seeds and fertilizers), healthcare, electronics and nutrition. In many cases, DuPont has been the first in the field to develop a new compound or product, and the company continues to support a rare commitment to R&D for a company of its size and age.
To read the full column, please go to FinancialEdge:
http://financialedge.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0311/5-Of-The-Most-Adaptive-Companies.aspx
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