What America's most interesting companies have in common.

... yet they are genuinely global. Not very long ago, the undisputed symbols of American business abroad were Disney, McDonald's, and Coca-Cola. Those brands remain tremendously powerful, but they have long felt as if they were monoliths imposed on other countries from abroad. (It's hardly surprising that McDonald's outlets are frequently the targets of anti-globalization protests.) By contrast, SAGA companies blend more easily into their environments by allowing international customers to explore their own tastes and preferences. Amazon could never get away with selling only American books and DVDs; an iPod has no obvious nationality, and despite some carping from European regulators, Google functions fairly seamlessly as an international Internet tool.

They are restless innovators. None of these companies made its business by being the first to add any new physical thing to peoples' lives: Starbucks did not invent coffee or even the coffeehouse; with the exception of the Kindle, almost every single item available on Amazon is conceived of and produced off the Amazon campus; Apple didn't invent the computer, the cell phone, or the MP3 player; and Google invented neither the search engine nor the paid search model.

For the most part, SAGA companies don't invent—they perfect. The SAGA triumph is a triumph of tweaks and of packaging. That can sound lightweight, even derogatory, but it shouldn't be underestimated: Remember that when Amazon first started doing business in 1995, the vast majority of Americans had never bought anything online and had legitimate reasons to fear doing so. What SAGA companies have taught the world is that there is strong business sense in focusing maniacally on what customers want and then finding the most effective ways to deliver it.

They follow their founders. Howard Schulz, Steve Jobs, Larry Page and Sergei Brin, and Jeff Bezos are as different as personalities come in business: Schulz is a famously nice guy, Jobs pretty much the opposite of a nice guy. Page, Brin, and Bezos don't fit the stereotype of the charismatic CEO at all. But each of these leaders continues to be central to his company's identity and has remained an embodiment of the company's culture and values. Jobs has kept Apple intensely focused on product and advertising design; Bezos has rooted Amazon to delivering top-notch customer service; Paige and Brin exemplify Google's belief in algorithmic solutions, experimentation, and bottom-up creativity.

They engage consumers on an almost spiritual level. This may sound a bit silly, but it is crucial to understanding why people feel so passionate about SAGA companies. Think of the reaction this summer when Starbucks announced that it would close 600 outlets. There were protests and petition campaigns throughout the country. Americans reacted as if they had a legal right to lattes, and within short reach of their homes and offices. In large part, this is because the companies inspire both a sense of community and the ability to create personalized brands—my iPod playlists express my identity—which is a powerful combination.

In a book published last year called Firms of Endearment, three business writers argued that America is going through what they call an Age of Transcendence, and that successful companies understand that they need to appeal to stakeholders on a level that is more than just dollars and cents. That approach is literally built into SAGA companies, such as Google's famous "20 percent time" policy, which allows employees to work on personal projects during office hours. But it also means tapping into the passion of customers, suppliers, communities, and stockholders. Each of these companies strives not just for profits and growth, but for social and even moral significance.