Most Innovative Companies: The Methodology

's 2009 ranking of the World's 25 Most Innovative Companies is based mostly on a Boston Consulting Group survey. In December 2008, BCG sent its 20-question poll to senior executives around the globe. The 2,700 respondents, who answered anonymously, were asked to name corporations that consistently offer inventive products, customer experiences, business models, or processes. The votes of executives who chose their own employers were disqualified.

BCG then factored in the financial performance of the top vote-getters. The final list weighted the survey results 80%, stock returns 10%, and three-year revenue and margin growth 5% each. In the case of privately held companies, used metrics equal to industry performance to compare financial data.