History of Multinational Corporations

2012 Words5 Pages

The progression and evolution of international business has played an integral role in the overall development and progress of the world economy, culture, and politics. The multinational corporation was an essential part of this process and has roots as far back as the 15th and 16th centuries in Western Europe, specifically in the nations of England and Holland, during a period known as mercantilism. This was a time of unprecedented global exploration, colonization, and other imperialist ventures. Organizations such as the British East India Trading Company, promoted both global trade and the acquisition of natural resources, primarily for their home countries in areas including Africa, East Asia, and the Americas. Global trade was the primary factor in the growth of the world economy during this time. However the modern MNC, as it is known today, did not appear until the 19th century. These new entities provided a new level of inter-firm connectedness, a wider division of labor, and a higher level of product integration across countries in which MNCs are growing. Studies have shown that modern MNCs are characterized by a high degree of complexity, and have not followed a linear pattern in their development. In addition, it is crucial to understand the geographical context in which these MNCs were founded. This paper will analyze the development of the multinational corporation (MNC) from the 1870s to the modern day and examine it what ways, and to what degree it has changed over time. Mira Wilkins defines a multinational enterprise (MNE) as a “firm that extends itself over borders to do business outside its headquarters country.” By 1870, a period denoted as industrial capitalism, MNCs started to evolve and the nature... ... middle of paper ... ... (eds.), Leviathans: Multinational Corporations and the New Global History, New York: Cambridge University Press. Jones, G.G. (2005), "Multinationals from the 1930s to the 1980s", chapter 3 in A.D. Chandler and B. Mazlich (eds.), Leviathans: Multinational Corporations and the New Global History, New York: Cambridge University Press. Chandler, A.D. (1986), "Technological and organizational underpinnings of modern industrial multinational enterprise: the dynamics of competitive advantage", chapter 2 in A. Teichova, M. Lévy-Leboyer and H. Nussbaum (eds.), Multinational Enterprise in Historical Perspective, New York: Cambridge University Press. Corley, T.A.B. (1989), "The nature of multinationals, 1870-1939", chapter 5 in A. Teichova, M. Lévy-Leboyer and H. Nussbaum (eds.), Historical Studies in International Corporate Business, New York: Cambridge University Press.

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