新聞導讀
大型企業持續快速變大，已經威脅到市場健康發展。2016年財富500（Fortune 500）大公司的營收占美國GDP比重超過65%，而且前5大的總營收占前10大的60%以上。另外，過去10年新創公司（startups）在美國的數量快速下滑，而且創業者寧願把新創公司賣給大型企業，也不願繼續經營，因為在巨人腳下實在生存不易。值得注意的是，歐盟與各國都已經開始關注大型跨國企業不公平的稅收問題，例如apple近來被歐盟與日本政府追討稅收事件。英國經濟學人對此問題進行了探討。 1.Disruption
2.entrenchment
3.conjured up
4.from bits and bytes “(1)DISRUPTION may be the buzzword in boardrooms, but the most striking feature of business today is not the overturning of the established order. It is the (2) entrenchment of a group of superstar companies at the heart of the global economy. Some of these are old firms, like GE, that have reinvented themselves. Some are emerging-market champions, like Samsung, which have seized the opportunities provided by glFobalisation. The elite of the elite are high-tech wizards—Google, Apple, Facebook and the rest—that have (3) conjured up corporate empires (4) from bits and bytes.”—The Economist 徹底顛覆一切的創新也許是會議室中最常用的字，但今日企業經營最受到矚目的特性並非反轉創立時間早晚順序。而是超級巨型企業在全球經濟核心中扮演牢不可破的角色。其中有些是老公司，例如通用電器（GE）已經重新改造自己。有些是新興市場的一流公司，例如三星把握全球化的機會讓自己壯大。還有些高科技奇才、精英中的精英，Google、Apple、Facebook等等，讓企業帝國從數位世界崛起。 “Paying tax seems to be unavoidable for individuals but optional for firms. Rules are unbending for citizens, and up for negotiation when it comes to companies. Nor do profits translate into jobs as once they did. In 1990 the top three carmakers in Detroit had a market capitalisation of $36 billion and 1.2m employees. In 2014 the top three firms in Silicon Valley, with a market capitalisation of over $1 trillion, had only 137,000 employees.”
對個人來說，付稅是不可避免的，但對公司卻是可選擇的。規定對市民而言，是一定要遵守的，而企業是可以談判的。過去公司獲利可以轉化成工作機會，而現在沒有了。1990年，底特律最大3家汽車生產公司的資本額360億美元、120萬員工。2014年，美國加州矽谷最大3間公司的資本額逾1兆美元，卻僅有137,000名員工。 “So, by all means celbrate the astonishing achievements of today’s superstar companies. But also watch them. The world needs a healthy dose of competition to keep today’s giants on their toes and to give those in their shadow a chance to grow.”
我們當然可以為這些大企業的驚人成就喝采，但也必須留心他們。世界需要健康、良性的競爭，讓企業巨人不懈怠，也讓在巨人陰影之下的公司有機會成長。” 字彙
1. Disruption 通常指分裂、破壞的意思；在商業用語則是徹底顛覆一切的創新。
Dell Inc. disrupted the traditional way of selling computers by switching to the internet. 戴爾顛覆傳統，改在網路銷售電腦。
2. entrenchment 牢不可破、積息已久；這是帶有負面涵意的字，代表難以改變、撼動。
There has been a shift in opinion on the issue after a decade of entrenchment.
人們固執抱持這個觀點已有十多年，如今終於改變了。
3. conjured up 聯想起、想像到，此處指快速變出
How am I expected to conjure up a meal for my family with almost nothing in the fridge? 你怎能期待我可以在冰箱空無一物的情況下，為家人變出一頓飯？
4. from bits and bytes 8bits=1byte，意指從數位世界起家的 | 
