Complex accountability and power in global governance: issues for global business

Abstract

PurposeFirms and their executives need to recognize the political complexity of accountability demands, so that they are prepared by training to recognize the signs of change, analyze the strength of the forces behind various and often competing demands, and devise a response that is not only responsive to valid and strongly supported demands, but consistent with their organization's mission and ethic of responsibility toward broader publics and the public‐spirited values that we should all share. This paper aims to investigate these issuesDesign/methodology/approachThe paper identifies seven types of accountability mechanisms and considers their applicability to multinational corporations.FindingsThe paper finds that, to be able to respond quickly and effectively, firms need to be linked institutionally with advocacy groups as well as other firms, so that they get information about demands in a timely fashion and are able to communicate with the relevant actors to devise responses.Originality/valueThe paper gives an overview about different types of accountability in global governance and discusses how firms could face the challenges of complex accountability demands.