Abstract
Through a case study, this paper aims at identifying the enterprise's internal and external variables able to determine the profitability of a business, in a long-term perspective. Pomini S.p.A., the firm object of the study, has been operated world-wide for a century within steel plant industry and within plant and machine business for rubber and plastic industry. The case study has been carried out using an historical perspective that has provided an effective tool in order to identifying mechanisms of development, working within Pomini S.p.A. and within industries where the firm has been operated in. Through the analysis of historical tendency of the firm's main profitability indexes, of environment and competitive conditions, of firm's business strategies, and tanks to the comparison with a competitor, it has been possible to verify the starting hypotheses. Firstly, this study has empirically confirmed the theory according to which different levels of profitability correspond to different stages of a business life cycle. It has secondly appeared that those firms able to anticipate market evolution and to set out a business strategy consistent with their core competencies, succeed in attaining significant results in terms of competitiveness and profitability.