When we talk about activities or activities of a company we refer to the type of productive activity they carry out and from which they earn their profits or dividends. These activities can be of various kinds, and allow companies to be classified, thus establishing various categories. For example: mining, real estate, tourism.
We can talk about the following types of companies according to their activity or line of business:
- Industrial. These types of companies generate their dividends from the processing or extraction of raw materials, thus generating more or less manufactured products that serve as inputs to other links in the production chain or that go to the final consumer. They can, in turn, be classified into three types:
- Extractive. They are dedicated to the exploitation of natural resources, whether or not renewable, to start the chain of their transformation into manufactured products of different types.
- Manufacturing. In charge of transforming raw materials into manufactured or semi-finished goods, which are either directed to the final consumer, or to other industries, thus operating as intermediate instances of the chain.
- Agricultural. Dedicated to the exploitation of agriculture and livestock, therefore they are a vital part of the food industry.
- Commercial. Intermediaries between producers and consumers, are dedicated to the purchase and sale of manufactured goods, generating a profit in the movement of the merchandise. They can also be of three types:
- Wholesalers. Those companies that handle large batches of merchandise and make large-scale sales to other intermediaries or final consumers.
- Retailers or retailers. They sell the merchandise detailed, that is, per unit, but they buy it in large batches and thus can generate a profit in the final sale direct to the consumer.
- Brokers. They sell merchandise assigned by producers on consignment, earning a commission from the final sale of the item. They play the role of sellers, but without investing in the firm purchase of the merchandise.
- Of services. As their name suggests, these companies provide support to other companies or to individuals in need, whether for profit or not. They can be from a variety of sectors: transportation, tourism, health, education, communication, finance, etc.
Examples of activity or business of a company
- Cattle raising. Livestock companies tend to raise, herd and sell livestock (beef, pork, etc.) from which other companies process food or which, also, commercial companies offer for sale to final consumers, as supermarkets do.
- Software. The recent computing explosion of the late 20th century generated endless demand for software, that is to say, of computer programs, increasingly updated and more integrated to the new technologies of the moment. The app market (applications for Smartphones) is a perfect example of this.
- Mining. A mining company is an example of an extractive company that invests in machinery and personnel to extract the mineral and metallic resources demanded by the industry from the interior of the earth. This is how coal, copper, gold, etc. mining companies operate.
- Fishing. Fishing companies are dedicated to removing various types of food from the sea for further processing by the food industry. They can be fish (sardines, tuna, etc.), mollusks (octopus, squid) or some other edible marine species.
- Real estate. Real estate companies are dedicated to the purchase and sale of properties: houses, buildings, apartments, etc. Thus, they operate as intermediaries between a seller or a property owner and a possible buyer, be it an individual or also a company.
- Construction. Construction companies are those that, as their name indicates, make buildings, houses or all kinds of buildings, at the request and contract of an individual or also as a form of investment, since in many cases the same construction company is the one that puts the the sale of the finished property.
- Air Transport. Airlines are some of the most demanded and powerful companies in the world, since by owning a fleet of planes or other aircraft capable of moving merchandise and passengers from one corner of the world to another, they are in high demand in today’s globalized world.
- Sightseeing. Tourism companies offer individuals travel deals, which may consist solely of tickets (acting as an intermediary and advisor between airlines and citizens), or of true packages of hotels, transportation and various recreational services.
- Telecommunications. This type of service company provides its clients with access to various forms and telecommunication networks, such as the Internet or mobile telephony, for which it invests in machinery and personnel to provide a continuous service with a local, national or regional scope.
- Metallurgy. The metallurgical companies receive the raw material from other extraction companies and proceed to its transformation into other metallic inputs (alloys), or into intermediate products for the construction or spare parts industry, which in turn make processed goods for consumption. final.
- Cinematographic. The film companies, in charge of producing films and collecting the entrance money through the network of movie theaters, and thus being able to make profits and continue investing in the development of audiovisual entertainment projects.
- Editorial. Similar to the previous one, but dedicated to the production of books of some specific type (literature, text, history, etc.), the publishing company obtains its dividends from the sale of the books, for which it contacts authors who wish to publish their works and provides them with the necessary assistance to convert their manuscripts into finished works distributed in bookstores.
- Wholesale markets. Many wholesale companies have a wide network of producers that supply them with goods in large quantities, and can therefore offer other businesses or even individuals who are interested, packages of consumer goods manufactured in large quantities, especially those not. perishable.
- Agricultural producers. There are also peasant companies, generally in charge of intensive planting (in limited spaces but used to the maximum) of foods ready for distribution in supermarkets and markets that sell them to final consumers.
- Design companies. Responsible for providing design, layout, aesthetic production and marketing conceptualization services, they take care of the public face of other companies, to help them design eye-catching logos or better manage their presence in the market.
- Electricity. Electricity companies provide communities in a nation with access to electricity directly to their homes and charge them according to their use of it. In many countries, these companies are owned by the State, as they are considered essential for the population.
- Drinking water. As in the previous case, these companies provide direct drinking water services to homes and workplaces, usually guaranteeing its potability through control and sanitation methods, as well as the correct disposal of wastewater from homes.
- Collections. These are companies dedicated to the collection of debts and the persecution of debtors and defaulters, through constant reminders and convincing campaigns for other companies and also for individuals.
- Surveillance. These companies provide security services to other companies and housing consortiums (buildings, developments), through their employees trained in the area and the installation of surveillance camera systems or other specialized technological methods.
- Law. Law firms or law firms are companies that specialize in the legal representation of other companies or individuals, through a group of lawyers and legal professionals that they make available to their contractors.