public function followedCompanies() {	  
	  // construct and send the request
    $query    = self::_URL_API . '/v1/people/~/following/companies';
	  $response = $this->fetch('GET', $query);
	  
	  /**
	   * Check for successful request (a 200 response from LinkedIn server) 
	   * per the documentation linked in method comments above.
	   */
	  return $this->checkResponse(200, $response);
	}