Pearson

Pearson PLC is a British multinational publishing and education company headquartered in London, England. It was founded as a construction business in the 1840s but switched to publishing in the 1920s. It is the largest education company and was once the largest book publisher in the world.

History

Pearson was founded by Samuel Pearson in 1844 as a building and engineering concern. The company was originally established in Yorkshire to provide employment for the local population. The company switched to the publishing sector in the 1920s.

Operations

Pearson has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. It has a secondary listing on the New York Stock Exchange in the form of American Depository Receipts.

Divisions

Pearson's operations are organised into three main divisions: Pearson Education, Penguin Random House, and the Financial Times Group.

Pearson Education

Pearson Education is a British-owned education publishing and assessment service to schools and corporations, as well for students directly. Pearson Education was rebranded to Pearson in 2011 and split into an International and a North American division.

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House is an American multinational conglomerate publishing company formed in 2013 from the merger of Random House (owned by Bertelsmann) and Penguin Group (owned by Pearson PLC).

Financial Times Group

The Financial Times Group, a part of Pearson, is a British international business newspaper headquartered in London, England. The group also includes significant businesses in digital, events and financial information.

Criticism

Pearson has been criticised for its aggressive business practices, particularly in the educational sector. Critics argue that Pearson's products are overpriced and that the company uses its dominant market position to squeeze out competitors.

See also

• List of largest UK book publishers
• Education in the United Kingdom
• Publishing industry in the United Kingdom

External links

• Official website

Pearson Resources
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