Use the globalEDGE^TM site to complete the following exercises:

1. The consumer purchase of specific brands is an indication of the relationship that develops over time between a company and its customers. Locate and retrieve the most current ranking of global brands. Identify the criteria that are utilized. Which country (or countries) appears to dominate the top 100 global brands list? Why do you think this is the case? Prepare a short report identifying the countries that possess global brands and the potential reasons for success.



2. Some regions of the world are more widely known for their innovation efforts than others. Identify the fifteen organizations with the highest research and development (R&D) expenditures in the world. A colleague mentioned that the Technology Review is a particularly informative source on innovation topics. Prepare a short report regarding the country of origin of the companies with the most R&D spending, as well as the distribution of R&D expenditures by industry.