One of the most difficult tasks for executives is identifying new businesses to add to their portfolios, either by starting them from scratch or through acquisitions. The track record of most companies isn't good, which is why 50% of the Fortune 500 drop off the list every 10 years. Companies typically reach the size of a Fortune 500 company on the strength of one or several key businesses or products, but then those products or businesses mature and they are unable to find the next source of major growth (this is compounded by the fact that the next source of growth must be larger to have a
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