Accordingtoanumberofsources,theEnglishandDutchEastIndiatradingcompaniesof
theearly17*Centurywerethefirstglobalenterprises.Modernglobalenterpriseshavea
similarbroadreach,butconductbusinessinamuchmorecomplextradingenvironment.
FourhundredyearsagoashipwoulddepartEuropetotradeinIndiaorAsiaandwould
returnwithgoodsthatwerequicklyabsorbedintolocalmarkets.Thecaptainoftheship
wasanautonomousdecisionmakeraboutwhattobuyandsell.Todayglobalproductsand
servicesareproducedanddeliveredinatechnologically