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Built to Last

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@empress-eremmy
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I came across an article mentioning the Kongo Gumi, which is recognized as the oldest company in the World (It was founded in 578 AD). Of course my curiosity got the best of me and I dug further into some of the oldest surviving companies till date.

To see companies that have transcended Millennia was incredibly impressive. I begun to wonder how these select companies managed to survive the sudden, unforgiving changes that time does bring and what, if anything, makes them so special.

Another interesting fact is that a sizeable number of the really old companies were founded in Japan.

According to a report published by the Bank of Korea in 2008 that looked at 41 countries, there were 5,586 companies older than 200 years. Of these, 3,146 (56%) are in Japan.

This strange, noteworthy occurrence might be a result of varying factors, but it was certainly no coincidence. The Japanese have a very strong sense of culture, and some of the most important things they are known to promote are hard work and sustainability.

For instance, very old companies in Japan are given a special type of recognition and go by the name Shinise. Even more impressive is that a sizeable number of them are family businesses, with the current owner a descendant bearing the family name. In-laws who marry into the families of such businesses are allowed to take up the family name irrespective of gender, further ensuring sustainability.

This simple yet effective mindset has had an enormous effect over the entire nation that has thrived through centuries. A sustainability mindset becomes essentially important when dealing with new, experimental technology like the blockchain. Few of those old businesses were particularly new as at the time they launched, so it definitely wasn't the product that ensured their continued survival.

I wonder how many of us think about the long term or how sustainable an investment is before taking a decision. We are all investors whether we consume the product or use it to generate wealth. How many really ask 'what are the long term implications of...'

Having an entire community focused on the future and how the long term trajectory plays out is as good as building a culture that will eventually infect the next generation with actions and optimism. For hive, it means a chance to be just like these old horses, with an army of people building from where the previous generation stopped.


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