Why Are Companies in Business, Anyway?
Let's start by asking what might be the single, most fundamental question to a business, “Why are we in business in the first place?” You might want to think a company is in business because it's fun, it's educational, or because it's a way to have a positive impact on society. These are all good secondary reasons, but the primary reason is simple: to make a profit for the owners of the company.
Granted, the idea that profit is the primary reason to be in business may sound crass, but the plain truth is just that. Whether we like it or not, a company that doesn't make a profit for its owners doesn't stay in business very long, regardless of how fun, educational, or socially uplifting it might be. If you ...
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