Sony Corporation was established in 1946 as Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K. in Tokyo, Japan. Over the decades, Sony expanded significantly through acquisitions and opening production plants globally. Major acquisitions included Columbia Pictures Entertainment in 1989 and CBS Records in 1988. Sony also diversified over time, entering new businesses such as music, films, financial services and more. The company has faced challenges in recent years including losses, security breaches and job cuts as it aims to strengthen its businesses and brand.

8. 1946
• Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K. (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation), also
known as Totsuko, established in Nihonbashi, Tokyo with start-up capital of 190,000 yen.
1947
• Company head office and factory relocated to Shinagawa, Tokyo.
1954
• Sendai plant established in Tagajo, near Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. (in April 1992 it was
renamed Sendai Technology Center.)
1955
• Decision made to use SONY logo on Totsuko products.
1958
• Company name changed to Sony Corporation.
• Sony listed on the TSE.
1960
• Sony Corporation of America (SONAM) established in the United States.
• Sony Overseas S.A. established near Zurich, Switzerland.

9. 1962
• Sony Corporation of Hong Kong Ltd. established.
1964
• Osaki plant established in Shinagawa, Tokyo (renamed Osaki West Technology Center in
June 1995).
1966
• Sony Building in Ginza, Tokyo, opened.
1968
• CBS/Sony Records Inc., a 50-50 joint venture with CBS Inc. of the US, established. It was
renamed CBS Sony Inc. in August 1973 and CBS/Sony Group Inc. in August 1983. It became
a wholly-owned Sony subsidiary in January 1988, and renamed Sony Music Entertainment
Inc. in April 1991.
1969
• Shibaura plant(renamed Shibaura Technology Center in 1989),Sony Shiroishi
Semiconductor Inc. and Inazawa Plant (currently Inazawa Technology Center) were
established.
1970
• Ichinomiya Plant(currently Ichinomiya Technology Center),Sony G.m.b.H. were established.
• Sony shares listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

10. 1972
• Operations commenced at color TV assembly plant in San Diego, California.
• Sony Koda Inc. (currently Koda Technology Center) established to manufacture home-
video products.
1973
• Hispano Sony established in Barcelona, Spain.
• Sony France S.A. established in Paris, France.
1974
• Operations commenced at color TV assembly plant in Bridgend, Wales, in the U.K.
• Operations commenced at cathode ray tube (CRT) plant in San Diego
1979
• Sony Prudential Life Insurance Co. Ltd., a 50-50 joint venture with Prudential Insurance Co.
of America, established. It was renamed to Sony Life Insurance Co. Ltd. in April 1991.
1988
• Sony Europe G.m.b.H. established in Cologne, Germany.
• CBS Records Inc., the records group of CBS, acquired. It was renamed Sony Music
Entertainment Inc. in January 1991.
1990
• Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc. acquired. It was renamed Sony Pictures
Entertainment Inc. in August 1991.

11. 1994
• Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. established.
1995
• Sony Communication Network Corporation established.
1996
• Sony China established.
1997
• Sony Marketing Co., Ltd. Established.
2001
• Sony Bank, Sony EMCS and Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications were established.
2004
• FeliCa Networks, Inc., Sony Financial Holdings Inc., Sony BMG Music Entertainment

12. 2007
• Sony relocates headquarters to new building called "Sony City."
2009
• Sony DADC Japan Inc. established
• Sony Group unveils new brand message "make.believe"
2010
• Sony opens “Sony 3D Technology Center,” located at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver
City, California.

14. 1960
World's first direct-view portable TV, the TV8-301, launched.
1955
Japan's first transistor radio, the TR-55, launched.
1954
Announcement of Japan's first PNP alloy-type transistor and germanium diode.
1950
Japan's first magnetite-coated, paper-based recording tape, “Soni-Tape,” launched.
Japan's first magnetic tape recorder, the G-Type, order launched.

15. 1965
World's first home-use open-reel VTR, the CV-2000, launched. Japan's first all-silicon transistor
stereo amplifier, the TA-1120, launched.
1963
World's first compact transistor VTR, the PV-100, launched.
1962
The world's smallest and lightest all-transistor TV, TV5-303, launched.
1961
Japan's first all-transistor amp tape recorder,TC-777, launched.

16. 1979
Sales launch of the TPS-L2, the first stereo cassette player “Walkman.”
1973
Sony receives the first Emmy ever awarded to a Japanese company for developing the Trinitron color
TV system.
1967
Sales launch of the world's first IC radio, the ICR-100.
1966
Sales launch of Sony's first cassette tape recorder, the “Magazine-matic 100” TC-100.

17. 1997
Sales launch of the world's first broadcast-use HD camcorder, HDW-700.
1994
World's first high-brightness, green light-emitting diode successfully developed.
1993
World's first continuous-wave room-temperature operation of blue semiconductor lasers successfully
developed.
1982
World's first CD player, the CDP-101, launched.

18. 2010
Sony commercializes world's first 16.41 megapixel "Exmor R" back-illuminated CMOS image sensor
for mobile phones.
2009
Mercury-free alkaline button battery (LR) that reduces environmental impact, launched.
2007
First “QUALIA” products launched. World's first OLED TV released.
2001
Sony develops world's largest (13 inch) full color organic EL display.

24. S.NO Acquisition Date Company Used as Value(USD)
1 November 19,
1987
Music Center
Incorporated
Sony Music
Entertainment
U$2,000,000,000
2 September 29,
1989
Guber-Peters
Entertainment
Company
Sony Pictures
Entertainment
U$200,000,000
3 November 8, 1989 Columbia Pictures
Entertainment
Sony Pictures
Entertainment
U$3,400,000,000
4 July 9, 2002 Acuff-Rose Music Sony/ATV U$157,000,000
5 August 23, 2006 Grouper Networks U$65,000,000 Crackle

25. S.NO Acquisition Date Company Used as Value(USD)
6 May 30, 2007 Famous Music Sony/ATV U$370,000,000
7 February 28, 2011 Chip Plant Sony Electronics U$8,702,070,000
8 February 16, 2012 Sony Ericsson Sony Electronics U$1,500,000,000
9 June 29, 2012 EMI Music
Publishing
Sony/ATV Music
Publishing
U$2,200,000,000
10 July 2, 2012 Gaikai Sony Computer
Entertainment
U$380,000,000

27. S.NO Date Company Business Value(USD)
1 December, 1995 Sony/ATV Music Publishing U$110,000,000
2 October 1, 2001 Sony Ericsson Mobile Phones U$250,000,000
3 October 8, 2001 Square Enix Videogames U$2,446,431,000
4 April 8, 2005 Metro-Goldwyn-
Mayer
Movies/Television U$4,800,000,000

29. S.NO Date Acquirer Target Company Value(USD)
1 October 1, 2008 Sony Sony BMG U$1,200,000,000
2 February 20, 2008 Toshiba Cell Chip Factory U$14,777,100,000
As of March 2010, Sony Corporation has made 92 acquisitions while taking stakes at 56
companies. The company has 83 divestitures since 1983. Sony's biggest acquisition to date is
that of Columbia Pictures, valued at U$3.4 billion at the time of purchase.

42. Sony Corporation had signed a three-year sponsorship
agreement with world renowned classical pianist Lang
Lang in the year 2008 (April 1).
Sony had signed an eight-year agreement with FIFA
giving it worldwide marketing and promotional tie-ins
for the events.
The contract will run from 2007 to 2014 with a contract
value (excluding product leases) of US$305 million.
Pottermore is a unique and free-to-use Web
site, partnered by Sony, that builds an exciting online
experience around the Harry Potter books.

43. On May 1, 2005, Sony Ericsson agreed to
become the global title sponsor for
the WTA(Women’s Tennis Association) Tour in a
deal worth $88 million US dollars over 6 years.
On June 7,2005, it announced sponsorship
of West Indian batsmen Chris
Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan.
As of 2011, Sony Ericsson sponsors the UEFA
Champions League and the Sony Ericsson Open
tennis tournament in Miami.

62. Sony XPERIA Sony BRAVIA HD TV

65. Sony's income has
decreased with as
much as 71.8
percent , so Sony
Trimmed 8,000
Jobs and Reduce
Investment.
25 million gamers
have had their
personal details
stolen as a result
of security
breaches at Sony.
Sony has forecast
an overall lost of
$2.7 billion for the
year ending March
31st, making it a
fourth consecutive
year of losses.

73. Sony has long been committed to strong Corporate Governance, as
one of its most important management initiatives.
In 2003, Sony adopted the "Company with Committees" corporate
governance system under the Companies Act of Japan.
Under Sony's system, the Board of Directors defines the respective
areas for which each of the Corporate Executive Officers is responsible
and delegates to them decision-making authority to manage the
business.

74. Support employees with diverse backgrounds.
Promote diversity in hiring.
Foster global business leaders and engineers who will drive growth in
the future.
Support individual career-building efforts.
Promote dialogue through employee surveys and town hall meetings.

75. Provide products that deliver satisfaction, safety and
peace of mind from the customer's perspective.
Provide customer service that further enhances
customer satisfaction
Enhance usability and accessibility

76. Promote initiatives that contribute to communities in fields where Sony
is best able to do so.
Provide emergency relief.
Work with NGOs and NPOs to help resolve issues facing society.
Collaborate with NGOs and NPOs to help address social challenges.

77. Ethical business conduct and compliance with applicable laws and
regulations are fundamental aspects of Sony's corporate culture.
Sony has adopted and implemented the Sony Group Code of Conduct,
and set up Compliance Hotline systems through its Global Compliance
Network.
Sony helps in assuring resources availability for employees to raise
concerns or seek guidance about legal and ethical matters.

78. Ensure appropriate, transparent and fair procurement practices, in
line with the Sony Group Code of Conduct.
Ensure that procurement practices are in harmony with the
environment and society (including labor issues, human rights and
conflict minerals

79. Reduce the environmental footprint of Sony's business activities and
products throughout their life cycle to zero.
Reduce CO2 emissions of Sony's business activities and products
throughout their life cycle to zero.
Prevent pollution by reducing the volume of chemical substances used.
Promote the conservation and restoration of biodiversity and the
sustained use of biodiversity-friendly products

80. Award Sponsor Date
PBEC Environmental Award Pacific Basin Economic Council March,2000
Best Factory Award 2000 Royal Government of Thailand JUNE,2000
World Star Award World Packaging Organisation MAY,2001
Industrial Environmental
Association Award
Industrial Environmental Association OCTOBER,2001
Recognition from US EPA The U.S. EPA NOVEMBER,2002

81. Award Sponsor Date
5th PBEC Environmental Award Pacific Basin Economic Council AUGUST,2003
Sustainable Energy Europe
Award
European Commission FEBRUARY,2007
1st Diversity Management Award Toyo Keizai Inc. JANUARY,2008
Environment Minister's prize Ministry of Environment OCTOBER,2008
Singapore Sustainability Awards Singapore Business Federation JULY,2011
Innovation in Plastics
Recycling Award
American Chemistry
Council
NOVEMBER,2012

82. Promoting Renewable
Energy
Lightest LCD TV in
Industry

83. Eco Challenge in
Malaysia
Ongoing Innovation in
Eco-Conscious Products

85. www.wikipedia.org www.sony.net