Most corporate name changes are the result of mergers and acquisitions. But these tend to be unimaginative.

The world is now being dominated by few Giant organizations that influence and dectate our consuming behavior.

Again it's all driven by mergers and acquisitions activity, and telecoms are in the limelight.

Nike used to be known as Blue Ribbon Sports. What's now Sara Lee used to be Consolidated Foods. And Exxon was once Standard Oil Company of New Jersey. These were name changes that worked. But for all the ones that do, there are 10 or 20 that don't.

How do you make money? Spinoffs, split-ups, liquidations, mergers and acquisitions.

Steve Jobs was rare: a C.E.O. who actually had a huge impact on his company's fortunes. Contrary to corporate mythology, most C.E.O.s could be easily replaced, if not by your average Joe, then by your average executive vice-president. But Jobs genuinely earned the label of superstar.