What do people find interesting in reading about companies in business mags?

Success. Think about it, let it drive you, learn from others from what they have learned for themselves. Or just sit back and don’t do your homework and say that you did.

I like to check out their business models, marketing angles, corporate structure etc. Gets me interesting ideas for my own business, such as it is.

Maybe see how many idiotic models and angles there are- or look for trends?

Read those magazine pieces as much for their structure as for their content.

Perhaps if you find learning interesting, those articles would serve as models for your own use of the language.

If neither the content nor the structure of those magazine article interests you, they have hired the wrong person for the job, which is unfortunate for the workgroup.

Strange – having someone who doesn’t appreciate business having to research business. Why do you have to read about new companies? What are you supposed to do with the information?

I agree with @gemiwing and @DarkScribe. If you are required to read about businesses as part of your job, what direction was given to you? With all things at work, meet or exceed expectations. If expectations aren’t clear, ask your manager. Just out of curiosity, do you have a business degree, or is your manager using this assignment to supplement your education?

I would love to have that be part of my job requirement. I would track and report back on HR practices and benefits, divide companies by industries and track trends, track social media usage, track mentions of capital investment, track any sort of innovation. Then I would analyze the company’s practices in terms of relevance to our company/industry, and note anything that would be relevant to continuous process improvement.

Read. Learn. Apply.

Sometimes a clever idea is still undeveloped in your area and you can make yours and expand it where you live. Absorb their success and use it at your own advantage. Nothing’s really boring. You just have to find the right motivation.