Microsoft

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Microsoft's ambitions are anything but small. The world's #1 software company provides a variety of products and services, including its Windows operating systems and Office software suite. The company has expanded into markets such as video game consoles, server and storage software, and digital music players. Microsoft has reached settlements to end a slew of antitrust investigations and lawsuits, including agreeing to uniformly license its operating systems and allowing manufacturers to include competing software with Windows. In 2008 Microsoft made repeated efforts to acquire Yahoo! but was rebuffed by that company's board of directors.

BMW

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A subsidiary of BMW, BMW of North America imports BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce cars and motorcycles into the US and provides marketing, sales, and financial services for some 340 BMW dealerships, about 330 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle dealerships, some 150 BMW motorcycle retailers, about 80 MINI dealerships, and 25 Rolls-Royce dealers. BMW of North America divisions include BMW Manufacturing, industrial-design firm DesignworksUSA, a parts distribution center, and a technical training center. Charged to oversee the group's largest single market, the US, BMW of North America was established in 1975.