Global Corporate Research Articles

Artificial intelligence as planetary assemblages of coloniality: The new power architecture driving a tiered global data economy

We present a framework for viewing artificial intelligence (AI) as planetary assemblages of coloniality that reproduce dependencies in how it co-constitutes and structures a tiered global data economy. We use assemblage thinking to map the coloniality of power to demonstrate how AI stratifies across knowledge, geographies, and bodies to influence development and economic trajectories, impact workers, reframe domestic industrial policies, and reconfigure the international political economy. Our post-colonial framework unpacks AI through its (1) global, (2) meso, and (3) local layers, and further dissects how these layers are vertically integrated, each with its horizontal dependencies. At (1) the global layer of international political economy maps a new digital bipolarity expressing Sino and American global digital corporations’ strategic and dominant positions in shaping a tiered global data economy. Then, at (2) the meso layer, we have a mosaic of domestic industrial policies that fund, frame markets, and develop AI talent across industries, sectors, and organizations to competitively integrate into AI value chains. Finally, incorporating into these are (3) the localized labor processes and tasks, where workers and users enact various AI-mediated tasks and practices driving further value extraction. We traced how AI is an interlaced system of power that reshapes knowledge, geographies, and bodies into dependencies that reinforce stratifications in developing underdevelopment. This commentary maps the current digital realities by laying out an uneven techno-geoeconomic power architecture driving a tiered global data economy and opening new research avenues to examine AI as planetary assemblages of coloniality.

A macroeconomic perspective on taxing multinational enterprises

We develop a general-equilibrium model to study the macroeconomic consequences of international profit shifting by multinational enterprises (MNEs). In our model, MNEs shift profits by exploiting intangible capital transfer pricing rules, which makes intangible investment more attractive and leads to higher output at home and abroad. We use the model to quantify the effects of two reforms proposed by the OECD: (i) reallocating MNEs’ profit tax bases to the countries where they sell their products; and (ii) a minimum global corporate income tax. Both reforms would reduce profit shifting substantially, but (i) would reduce global output whereas (ii) would have little macroeconomic impact. The reforms’ distributional implications would also be important. In high-tax countries, tax revenues would increase more than output declines, raising gross national income and enabling redistribution that could offset lower wages. In contrast, output and tax revenues would both drop in low-tax countries, significantly reducing national income.

The Role of Talent Development in Organizational Change: A Bibliometric Analysis of Global Corporate Trends

The evolution and key themes in the field of talent management research from 2000 to 2024 are highlighted in this study's thorough bibliometric analysis and thematic overview. Effective human resource strategies inside organizations are determined to be based on the fundamental elements of talent management, which include leadership, training and development, and organizational performance. It is acknowledged that the incorporation of technology innovations, including big data, machine learning, and digital transformation, has a revolutionary impact on talent management procedures by permitting more predictive and data-driven methods. In addition to discussing the implications of diversity and inclusion in cultivating a creative and flexible workforce, this study examines the strategic significance of matching organizational objectives with talent management in order to improve competitive advantage. The study also discusses the potential and problems associated with technology integration in human resources, stressing the importance of ethical concerns and upholding a human-centered approach in the face of technological breakthroughs.

Mobilising tensions: transnational union network formation in the Asia-Pacific region

Trade unions are an important actor in the social regulation of the transnational corporation. How and why trade unions engage with the continued rise of global corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives remains largely under-researched, particularly in transnational arenas beyond Europe. Transnational trade union networks are a concerted development intended to advance collective worker voice and influence, especially in contexts without a history of strong social dialogue. Our qualitative fieldwork centres on a transnational trade union network comprised of global, national, and local union representatives from different countries in the Asia-Pacific representing workers from one Germany-headquartered multinational corporation in the chemical sector. We examine how labour actors involved in the network engage with global CSR initiatives to advance worker voice and influence in the Asia-Pacific region. Our micro-sociological and relational approach focused on the practices, relations, and affective dimensions of building and sustaining a transnational network. What emerged is the centrality of tensions and how actors creatively utilise and shape those tensions into resources for building the network. We analyse the nature of the tensions and their effects and discuss how key actors work generatively with tensions.

Harnessing network power: Weaponised interdependence in global tax policy

AbstractFor decades, global tax policy has grappled with the challenge of mobile capital, failing to harness the regulatory potential of network power. This oversight has allowed tax havens to flourish, and multinational corporations and wealthy elites to circumvent state authority, undermining national fiscal policies and democratic capacity to meet grand societal challenges, such as climate change and inequality. But recent regulatory innovations pave a different way forward. This article spotlights the dynamics of ‘weaponized interdependence’, suggesting a critical role for strategically targeting global corporate and financial networks in reinvigorating action against tax havens, tax avoidance and tax evasion. Identifying and exploiting network chokepoints – financial institutions, corporate subsidiaries and expert intermediaries – can empower states to reassert their sovereignty and counterbalance the structural advantages of global capital. This approach helps us understand how and why recent regulatory measures have effectively countered financial secrecy, profit shifting and sanctions evasion, repairing public finances and restoring democratic integrity. In an age where weaponised interdependence is predominantly linked to national security, this recasting of global tax policy highlights a progressive path for using network power to develop effective global economic frameworks, strengthen democratic capacity and address contemporary challenges.

Environmental Policies and Tax Incentives in the Pillar Two Era: A Comparison of the EU and US Approaches

This article explores the interaction between global corporate taxes, specifically under the OECD’s Pillar Two, as implemented by the EU Minimum Taxation Directive (2022/2523) in the European Union and by the Corporate Minimum Tax (CAMT) in the United States, and fiscal incentives supporting environmental tax policies under the European Union’s Green Deal and the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The article compares the EU and US approaches and reveals the impact on the investment strategies of MNEs, with a focus on the location of intangibles related to renewable energy technologies, as well as State aid considerations. The article proposes that, instead of marginalizing the green tax credits, they should be reshaped and made subject to a benchmark that supports sustainable innovation within the global tax framework.

Profit shifting and tax competition policy: a global justice perspective

Purpose This paper aims to argue that the endogenous processes of profit shifting by MNEs and tax competition lead not just to inequality but constitute a case of global injustice. The provisions of the planned “two-pillar” reforms to global corporate taxation are then considered relative to the minimum conditions for background justice in taxation. Design/methodology/approach This paper is partly conceptual, based on relevant theoretical work in philosophy, and partly policy-focussed, based on an assessment of the OECD/G20 “two-pillar solution”. Findings The normative case for considering international tax competition as a global justice issue is developed, contrasting the cosmopolitan and non-cosmopolitan (“internationalist”) approaches. Three key minimum conditions for background justice in term of international taxation are established. This paper concludes that the two-pillar solution is likely to fail in global justice terms not because of its principles, which are sound, but because its redistributive scope is insufficiently great to have a major effect in correcting the inequality arising from tax competition. Originality/value This paper applies the philosophical concept of global justice to a specific issue in international business: MNE profit shifting and tax competition policy.

Comparing Sustainability Practices of Large US Corporations: Domestic vs. International Operations

Large US corporations are leading the way in reshaping business practices despite the absence of a national consensus regarding sustainability policies. This study highlights the commitment of some large US corporations to environmental, social, and corporate governance criteria and their widely employed sustainability practices compared with other global corporations. A survey of Fortune 500 corporations was conducted to identify their commitment to the nine major sustainability practices across domestic and international operations. Our findings indicate that several of the surveyed corporations exhibited significant adoption of these practices both domestically and internationally. Both hypotheses were rejected in favor of alternate hypotheses.

Catalyzing green innovation in hotel and tourism businesses: Leveraging green talent management, green organizational citizenship behavior, and green values

Global corporations are grappling with a significant challenge in addressing the absence of green innovation. Therefore, this study presents a conceptual model that reveals the significant role of green talent management in fostering green innovation. The study strives to analyze the mediating effect of green organizational citizenship behavior on the impact of green talent management on green innovation. Additionally, the study tests the moderating role of green values on the relationship between green talent management and green organizational citizenship behavior and between green organizational citizenship behavior and green innovation. Data were collected from 330 employees at the middle-level management working at five-star hotels and travel agencies category-A operating in Egypt to test the proposed conceptual model using structural equation modeling. Findings show that GTM positively affects GI and GOCB. GOCB positively impacts GI. In addition, GV positively moderates GTM→GOCB and GOCB→GI relationships. Moreover, GOCB significantly mediates the GTM→GI relationship. Based on our research, useful guidelines for how GTM, GOCB, and GV could affect green innovation have been developed.

Moderating Effect of IFRS Compliance on the Relationship between Ownership Structure and Financial Reporting Quality

This study investigates the moderating effect of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) on the relationship between corporate governance, specifically ownership structure, and financial reporting quality in listed non-finance firms in Nigeria. Utilizing an ex-post facto research design, the study drew its data from 67 non-finance firms listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group over a ten-year period (2012-2021). The study employs purposive sampling and hierarchical regression analysis to explore the complex connection between IFRS adoption and ownership structures, revealing that IFRS plays a significant role in enhancing the quality of financial reporting. The findings indicate that while ownership concentration may weaken financial reporting quality in the absence of IFRS, the adoption of IFRS significantly moderates this effect, leading to improved transparency and reduced earnings manipulation. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence from a less developed market context, emphasizing the critical interaction between global accounting standards and corporate governance mechanisms. The study concludes that robust enforcement of IFRS compliance, combined with targeted capacity building for financial professionals, is essential to ensure high-quality financial reporting in Nigeria. Key implications include the need for enhanced regulatory oversight and collaboration between regulatory bodies and professional accounting organizations to foster consistent adherence to IFRS, thereby improving the reliability of financial statements and boosting investor confidence.

A Process Study of Evolving Paradoxes and Cross-Sector Goals: A Partnership to Accelerate Global Sustainability

Cross-sector partnerships formed to address societal challenges are widely advocated and increasingly common. Joint goal setting is an essential phase in the collaborative process that can determine the course of a partnership. Yet, little is known about how cross-sector goals change and evolve because goal alignment between partners is often taken for granted. In this article, we qualitatively investigate a case of goal setting within a high-profile partnership across the academic and business sectors called Action2020, which aimed at accelerating global corporate sustainability action based on the planetary boundaries framework. We find that cross-sector goal setting is an iterative, multiphase process complicated by deep-seated sectoral differences that trigger paradoxes and conflict. Our main contribution is a process model of cross-sector goal setting comprising three phases: coalescing, protecting, and reconciling sectoral interests. Our model offers three unique insights that advance the cross-sector paradox literature: Altering the cross-sector goal can harness new opportunities of key turning points in the collaboration, shifting the opposing poles of paradoxes may be a necessary management approach to overcome collaborative barriers, and intermediaries may dampen the ambition of collaborative goals in order to temper paradoxes. We also contribute to the corporate sustainability literature and discuss the implications of moving from organization-centric to systems-based sustainability targets.

The paradox of semiconductors—EU governance between sovereignty and interdependence

Semiconductors are among the most important technologies for the digital society and a core technology of the European Union (EU)'s digital sovereignty agenda. The main argument of this article is that the governance of semiconductors is shaped by an inherent tension. On the one hand, this governance is embedded in the agenda of digital sovereignty, suggesting some form of autarky is possible. On the other hand, the production of semiconductors is necessarily globally distributed. This study draws on critical infrastructure literature, which enables us to explore how semiconductors are loaded with values that are inscribed via digital sovereignty. In the case of semiconductors, digital sovereignty works as a tool for legitimising trade, economic and research policies. The need for a strong semiconductor industry in the EU and the globalised nature of threats against the supply chain are acknowledged simultaneously. In turn, subsidising global corporations has turned out to be the natural response. Politically, it becomes difficult to contest these subsidies, as well as the underlying assumption concerning future innovation.

Global geopolitical risk and corporate ESG performance

This study investigates whether and how the global geopolitical risk (GPR) impacts the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance of Chinese enterprises utilizing panel data of Chinese A-share listed enterprises from 2011 to 2020. The findings show that enterprises' ESG performance is negatively impacted by the global GPR. According to heterogeneity analysis, the global GPR has a more detrimental effect on ESG performance in non-state-owned enterprises, enterprises in the decline period, enterprises with higher institutional investor shareholdings, and enterprises without political connections. Additional mechanism analysis reveals that global GPR primarily weakens Chinese enterprises' ESG performance by increasing their financing constraints and reducing competitiveness. . In conclusion, our main findings are still valid after addressing endogeneity-related concerns and doing robustness tests.

Dancing between threats and conflicts: How Chinese energy companies invest amidst global geopolitical risks

Utilizing Chinese A-share listed energy companies from 2002 to 2021, we investigate the relationship between global geopolitical risks (GPR) and corporate investment through panel fixed effects and attempt to elucidate its channel. The main findings are as follows: Different types of GPR have varied impacts on corporate investment; global geopolitical acts (GPRA) significantly promote investment in Chinese energy companies, while global geopolitical threats (GPRT) substantially inhibit it. Channel analysis indicates that the capital hedging effect can explain the impact of GPR on the investment of Chinese energy companies. Moreover, the interactions between GPR and factors such as companies' commercial credit capability, valuation, operational risk, and degree of internationalization are statistically significant. These factors interact with GPRA and GPRT, jointly affecting the investment of Chinese energy companies. After employing a series of robustness tests, our results remain valid. Our research deepens a better understanding of how geopolitical risks influence the investment decisions of energy companies.

Strengthening corporate governance and financial compliance: Enhancing accountability and transparency

In today's complex business landscape, robust corporate governance and financial compliance are essential for maintaining organizational integrity, accountability, and transparency. This review examines the key components and strategies necessary to enhance these frameworks, ensuring sustainable success and stakeholder trust. Corporate governance encompasses regulatory compliance, risk management, ethical conduct, and stakeholder engagement. Adherence to laws and regulations, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), is foundational in minimizing legal risks and safeguarding reputation. Effective risk management involves identifying, assessing, and mitigating potential threats to an organization’s financial health and operational integrity through strong internal controls and regular audits. Promoting ethical conduct within organizations is crucial for maintaining trust and reputation. Establishing codes of conduct, ethical guidelines, and whistleblower protections fosters a culture of integrity. Transparent communication and stakeholder engagement ensure that organizational activities align with stakeholder interests and expectations. Enhancing accountability and transparency involves several key strategies. Strong board oversight and independence, characterized by diverse and skilled board members, ensure balanced and objective decision-making. Regular internal and external audits verify financial accuracy and compliance, identifying areas for improvement. Leveraging technology and data analytics is pivotal in modern compliance efforts. Technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning automate processes, improve accuracy, and provide real-time insights into financial performance and risk management. Transparent regulatory reporting and disclosure practices, adhering to standards such as the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), further enhance stakeholder trust. Continuous training and education for employees and board members on corporate governance principles, regulatory requirements, and ethical standards are vital for fostering a culture of compliance and accountability. Strengthening corporate governance and financial compliance is fundamental for enhancing accountability and transparency. By adopting comprehensive regulatory frameworks, leveraging technology, and promoting ethical conduct, organizations can build trust, mitigate risks, and ensure sustainable growth in a dynamic business environment. Keywords: Corporate Governance, Global Corporations, Harmonization.

Bibliographic Culture as a Factor of Security of Trusted Public Internet

The article deals with the problem of security of search in modern public computer-network resources of reliable, complete sources, their qualitative bibliographic description. The relevance is due to the “digital transformation”, the rapid spread of computer-network technologies since the 2010s to all sectors, as well as everyday life; a sharp and significant increase in the number and variety of electronic databases (libraries); turning the majority of humanity into daily active users. Objective international and national diseases of growth of standardization, streamlining, structuring of databases, development of indexing systems and search public network services, means of verification of electronic documents have manifested themselves.Since 2014 and even later from 2022, the problem was exacerbated by the reduction of international cooperation in computer-network technologies, anti-Russian sanctions of unfriendly countries, violation of Russian legislation by global digital corporations, leapfrogging strengthening of cybercrime and information confrontation in the Internet. The possibilities of attackers who, by exploiting vulnerabilities, reduced the access of mass users to reliable electronic documents in cross-border Internet communications increased. The opportunities caused by the relativistic understanding of truth, fabrication and broadcasting of falsified information, fake news, disinformation, use of new means of “social engineering” (fraud, manipulation of consciousness) that threaten citizens and national interests of Russia have increased.The novelty of the study lies in the integrated application of theoretical and cultural gnoseology (culture of cognition) and methodology of information security (countering deliberate attempts to mislead). The comparative analysis revealed significant differences between Russian state electronic libraries, document management systems, registers and services and non-state, as well as foreign public Internet resources and services. The result of the study is the conclusion about the importance of the prevalence of essential interests of mass users of Russian public libraries and electronic services. Recommendations on the preferability of applying this experience in the creation and modernization of Russian public non-state digital databases, libraries, services, as well as the development of standardization on its basis are formulated.

California dreaming: Tech media giants and the re-conception of property, commodities and tax

Tech media giants are no strangers to controversy in relation to the payment of corporate tax, such as the cases of Apple and Facebook (Meta) in Ireland, Alphabet (Google) in the UK and Amazon in Luxembourg. While the tech media giants are not the only global corporations that take advantage of international tax avoidance opportunities, this paper argues that their hypermobility and unprecedented cash assets place them especially well to take advantage of these practices. Moreover, the nature of some of the commodities, such as information, software or intellectual property that can be moved at the touch of a button; or even a simple re-conception of where the property resides can mean a state gaining or losing billions of dollars. This paper will explore how tech media giants are redefining property and commodity forms and how this allows for creative tax policies. Moreover, the conception of where immaterial commodities, such as pure information, is located (or not located) challenges tax collection strategies for the state. To explore these conceptions, this paper discusses the ideology surrounding the tech media industry, a particular brand of liberalism coined the ‘Californian Ideology’: An ideology that can sometimes be described as transgressive, but also one that may legitimise tax avoidance. The ideology gives a somewhat nebulous definition of what property is (and isn’t) and its location or non-location, thereby negating justification for taxation.

Make it up to you or not: understanding the role of substantive versus symbolic CSR activities following product-harm crises

Product-harm crises are a global concern and corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities are applied to withstand such crises and mitigate financial risks. Recent studies have focused on ‘when’ CSR activities can or cannot mitigate financial penalties following product-harm crises; however, the focus is usually on developed countries, and little attention is given to transitional countries like China. Indeed, CSR activities may vary among countries because the leading forces of and motivations behind CSR activities differ across institutions. In China, a government-dominated market, CSR activities are often state-led and used to access government resources. Some Chinese firms adopt symbolic CSR campaigns (versus substantive CSR activities) to garner such resources, given the low scrutiny of CSR activities and the low costs of CSR claims. Considering the specificity of Chinese CSR, this study explores ‘when’ CSR activities can or cannot mitigate financial risks following product-harm crises. The results find that substantive CSR activities can buffer the financial penalties due to the crisis, whereas symbolic CSR campaigns burden its financial penalties. Moreover, institutional investors can discount the buffering and burdening effects. These findings offer insights for firms seeking CSR activities to mitigate financial risks in transitional countries.

Ambivalent Utopias: Corporate Biopower and the Gendered Limits of Agency in Reset

Abstract This article examines Reset (逆时营救, 2017), a Chinese science fiction film that diverges from the genre’s typical patriotic themes. Reset offers a compelling case study for exploring technoscience’s impact – as a tool of corporate biopower and neocolonialism – on human corporeality, subjectivity, and female agency. The film’s protagonist, Xia Tian, transforms from a career-focused scientist to time-traveling cyborgs, ultimately reverting to a traditional maternal role. Analyzing this trajectory through Foucault’s biopower, Haraway’s cyborg feminism, and contemporary theories on reproductive futurism and sacrificial motherhood, the study unveils Reset’s function as an allegorical lens. It magnifies the effects of global corporate biopower on human subjectivity, particularly female agency amid apocalyptic upheavals. Xia Tian’s journey illustrates the complexities professional women face in balancing career and family, reflecting broader societal issues and mirroring Chinese cultural imperatives that simultaneously valorize motherhood and women’s workforce participation. Reset performs a double movement: introducing alternative forms of womanhood via cyborg iterations while framing these as incompatible with the envisaged societal future. This paradox highlights the film’s ambiguous stance, critiquing neocolonial capitalism’s manipulation of human bodies while exhibiting a conservative approach to gender roles.

Investment decision and efficiency: Global insights on manufacturing firms amidst energy uncertainties

This study examines the impacts of energy-related uncertainties on manufacturing listed firms' investment decisions and performance in advanced and emerging markets using panel data during the period 2004–2022. Our empirical investigations show that energy-related uncertainties significantly and positively affect firms' investment scale. This indicates a tendency of manufacturing firms to invest more in innovation and technology that reduces their dependence on traditional energy and meets new energy standards. Further, we reveal that nations' digitalization, institutional quality, business support environment, and R&D incentives relieve firm's pressure in increasing investment under energy uncertainties. Our study offers valuable insights for businesses, policymakers, and researchers, and sheds light on the relationships between energy-related uncertainties and strategic investment decisions in the global corporate landscape.