"EVERYTHING FLOWS, NOTHING STANDS STILL?" - SAID PLATO IN CRATYLUS - AND HIS OBSERVATION IS SPOT ON FOR PRIVATE COMPANIES. IT IS HARD TO BUILD A CORPORATE MACHINE THAT KEEPS PRINTING MONEY LONG AFTER THE ENTREPRENEUR LEFT. MY FAVORITE EXAMPLE IS MICROSOFT, WHICH NO SOONER STARTED LOSING ITS DOMINANCE THAN BILL STEPPED THROUGH ITS GATES. GOOGLE ALSO LOST ITS LUSTER, AFTER ITS FOUNDERS, SERGEY BRIN AND LARRY PAGE HIRED ERIC SCHMIDT AS CEO. FOLLOWING FACEBOOK'S METEORIC RISE, PAGE EVENTUALLY REPLACED HIM TO TRY AND RESTORE THE SEARCH GIANT'S FORTUNES. A NOTABLE EXCEPTION MAY BE APPLE, THE STOCK PRICE OF WHICH CONTINUES TO SOAR 6 MONTHS AFTER THE DEATH OF STEVE JOBS. BUT THE JURY IS STILL OUT IF THIS IS JUST THE CASE OF THE SLOW TURNING CRUISE LINER?