Multinational Corporations Research Articles

Voices From the Fringes: The Eco-Poetics of Niger Delta Women

To say that the Niger Delta literature or the poetics of extraction in the Delta has attracted numerous scholarly engagements is an understatement. However, most of the critical works written about the Niger Delta have been by male writers such as Gabriel Okara, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Tanure Ojaide, Ogaga Ifowodo, Nnimmo Bassey and others who are known for drawing attention to the environmental despoilment and the suffering of the various Indigenous communities of the Delta. In this article, I am interested in the framing of the Delta by female poets from the region. Building on Gayatri Spivak’s concept of the subaltern, I ask, are Niger Delta women writing? And if so, how do they contextualise women and nature in their poetic imagination? Mindful of the complexities in the region, what literary devices do they employ to aid their navigation of the murky confluence of state power, multinational corporations, and environmental degradation that abounds in the region unabated? This work applies the theoretical positions of ecofeminist scholars to the close reading of select poems from Sophia Obi’s Tears in a Basket (2005), Ekaete George’s Saints and Scoundrels (2018), and Iquo DianaAbasi’s Coming Undone as Stitches Tighten (2021).

CONTEXT CULTURE IN ADVERTISING: A CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS OF SEPHORA’S US AND INDONESIA OFFICIAL INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS

The notion of adapting a marketing strategy to fit the target audience's culture has been acknowledged for decades. However, in social media, cultural homogeneity has become more apparent that people on the internet communicate similarly. This study examined how a multinational company, Sephora, markets its products by analyzing the communication style of the top 15 most-liked posts in the US and Indonesia Instagram accounts. Using Hall’s (1976) context theory as the analytical framework, this study found that both accounts used a communication style that contradicted each country’s prominent culture in their most-liked posts, with the US having more high-context-styled posts and Indonesia with low-context posts. The findings challenged the notion and proved that following Hall’s dichotomy appears to be no longer accurate as these posts could still gather high engagement despite being in a different communication style.

Governance Dilemma of Commercial Bribery by Multinational Corporations in China

With the deepening development of globalisation, multinational corporations (MNCs) have been operating more and more frequently in China, but the accompanying problem of commercial bribery has gradually emerged.The purpose of this paper is to explore the dilemmas encountered by China in punishing commercial bribery by multinational corporations in China.Through the research method of literature review, this paper finds that the causes of commercial bribery by multinational corporations in China are complex and diverse, including regulatory deficiencies, imperfections in the legal system, differences in business ethics, and insufficient internal control, etc. Such behaviour not only undermines fair competition, but also leads to the emergence of the problem of commercial bribery.Such behaviours not only damage the market environment of fair competition, but also erode the moral foundation of the society and affect China's international image.Therefore, possible solutions are proposed, including strengthening legislation and law enforcement, expanding jurisdiction, and improving the monitoring system, in order to more effectively curb commercial bribery by multinational corporations in China.

Sustainable Management Strategies in Multinational Corporations: Balancing Profitability and Social Responsibility

Sustainable management strategies are increasingly critical for multinational corporations (MNCs) aiming to achieve long-term profitability while fulfilling social and environmental responsibilities. MNCs balance financial objectives with sustainability initiatives, addressing the complexities of integrating economic, social, and environmental considerations into corporate strategies. theoretical frameworks and empirical studies to elucidate the challenges and opportunities associated with sustainable management practices in MNCs. It investigates how successful organizations align business goals with sustainable development goals (SDGs), implement ethical practices across global operations, and engage stakeholders in fostering responsible corporate citizenship. Case studies and comparative analyses illustrate best practices and innovative approaches adopted by MNCs to mitigate environmental impacts, promote social equity, and enhance corporate reputation. The study emphasizes the role of leadership commitment, stakeholder engagement, and transparent reporting in driving sustainable business practices and achieving competitive advantage in global markets.

Tax Avoidance on Intangible Assets by Multinational Corporations in the Context of the Two-Pillar Solution and China's Response Proposal

International trade has entered the digital economy era due to the sector's rapid development. In order to avoid paying taxes on a global scale, multinational corporations use loopholes in conventional international tax laws. This severely damages the tax bases of many nations, results in significant financial losses, and undermines the fairness of international taxation. Various reform initiatives have developed to address the tax difficulties posed by economic digitalization. The OECD has introduced two significant solutions based on the BEPS action plan, collectively referred to as the "Two-Pillar" solution, to address the issues of tax base erosion caused by the transfer of profits of multinational enterprises and the inability of source countries to tax the profits of certain multinational enterprises in the context of the digital economy. Pillar One breaks through the entity presence rule emphasized in the existing international tax system and redistributes the profits and taxing rights of eligible large multinational enterprises to the market countries to ensure that eligible large multinational enterprises can undertake fairer global tax obligations in the context of economic digitalization. Pillar Two starts from the effective corporate income tax rate and introduces a global minimum tax system to combat the behaviors of multinational enterprises aimed at avoiding tax obligations. China is in favor of promoting the "Two-Pillar" approach as a participant in the OECD "Two-Pillar" declaration, a member of the G20, and the BEPS Inclusive Framework. Facing the new international tax rule system that is about to be implemented, China should be well-prepared in different aspects.

Research on the Two-Pillar Solution and Its Implication

With the rapid development of economic globalization and digitalization, new business models are activating the world economy while exacerbating the remaining problems of base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS). In the face of intensifying international tax avoidance, The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has announced its Two-pillar solution to the international community, proposing a global minimum tax regime, which is effectively a coordination of global anti-tax avoidance measures. At present, Pillar 2 has come into effect, and Pillar 1 has also been opened for signature, marking the implementation stage of the two-pillar solution. In this paper, the two-pillar solution is the main research object. Firstly, from the perspective of large-scale tax avoidance by multinational corporations, this paper systematically analyzes the historical background of the introduction of the two-pillar solution of the OECD. After a detailed analysis of the provisions of the two-pillar solution, the existing institutional deficiencies and obstacles to its implementation are proposed. Finally, in response to the issues raised, practical recommendations are made that the elements of the two-pillar solution should aim to achieve general equity, balance the interests of developing countries and be in harmony with existing international tax policies. The governments should also optimize the structure of tax incentives.

The Harm and Countermeasures of Transnational Commercial Bribery

In today's era of globalization, international exchanges are increasingly close, and transnational bribery cases are frequent. Therefore, combating commercial bribery by multinational corporations and strengthening the compliance system of transnational corporations are of great significance in promoting healthy economic development and social justice. At present, all countries have various legal provisions on corporate anti-bribery, but due to factors such as incomplete consistency of regulations in various economies, the governance effect is limited and it is challenging to fully credit the law's deterrence effect. Meanwhile, as the largest importer of foreign capital, commercial bribery in China is even more rampant, but due to the lack of domestic attention and the dispersion and ambiguity of the relevant laws and regulations, the bribe-takers are seldom sanctioned by the law.Through the analysis of the concept, causes and related cases of commercial bribery, as well as the comparative analysis of the relevant laws of Britain and the United States, this paper seeks to solve the problem of transnational bribery in China.

The Protection of Labor Rights of Chinese Multinational Corporations under the Belt and Road Initiative

With the deepening of the "Belt and Road" Initiative, the number of Chinese overseas workers is increasing, and the protection of labor rights and interests is becoming more and more prominent. This article analyzes the problems in the protection of labor rights and interests of Chinese multinational corporations and their causes, and finds that these problems are mainly concentrated in the aspects of identity legitimacy, law application, discrimination in employment access and neglect of the right to human dignity. The incompleteness of the host country's legal and social security system, the inadequacy of diplomatic and consular protection in the home country, the lack of social responsibility of transnational corporations, and the weak awareness of workers' rights are all important reasons for the violation of workers' rights and interests. In order to solve these problems, the paper proposes optimization paths at the national level, the level of transnational companies and the level of workers themselves, including building regional agreements, strengthening legal aid, implementing legal training and raising awareness of self-protection. Through multi-faceted efforts, we can better protect the legitimate rights and interests of overseas workers of Chinese multinational companies, promote the smooth implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, and achieve the goal of win-win cooperation.

Labor Law Liability of Multinational Corporations in Global Supply Chain

This paper examines the labor legal liability of multinational corporations within the global supply chain in the context of economic globalization. The legal governance of this issue has complexity because it involves multiple stakeholders, including international organizations, nations, and multinational corporations. Thus it necessitates coordinated efforts in legislation, judicial processes, and self-regulation. While existing laws and the labor compliance efforts of some multinational corporations have partially safeguarded labor rights, significant deficiencies remain. Addressing these deficiencies requires sustained legislative and judicial input from public entities. This requires more substantial protection and even expansion of the supervisory power of international organizations, such as the establishment of a tripartite negotiation mechanism to ensure their right to participate as independent subjects in labor rights protection. Improving the litigation procedure legislation to give international organizations the right to file public interest litigation to protect the rights and interests of workers in domestic courts will also be a probable choice. Additionally, multinational corporations must take concrete steps to uphold labor rights. Possible practices include assigning independent labor oversight bodies to suppliers and involving labor representatives in labor compliance efforts. Clarifying and enhancing the management of their labor legal responsibilities requires the joint efforts of public and private entities.

Regional Logistics Capability and Foreign Direct Investment Location Choice of Multinational Corporations

Regional Logistics Capability and Foreign Direct Investment Location Choice of Multinational Corporations

Exploratory research on the internationalization speed of small and medium-sized enterprises

ABSTRACT The emergence of multinational corporations (MNCs) and their impact on the post–World War II economy has led to studies on the internationalization of companies, including MNCs. Traditional theories, such as internalization theory and the stage model, have explained internationalization processes. However, some companies, known as “born globals,” adopt a leapfrog strategy, rapidly entering international markets. This study, focusing on Thai MNCs, examines how these companies, despite limited resources, achieve growth through effective timing, pace, and the process of internationalization. Findings suggest that strategic partnerships significantly accelerate the timing and pace of internationalization. Considering internationalization, company managers should join formal networks to learn about the international market and export operations to find strategic partners. In promoting networking, the government should try to incorporate companies and organizations that can serve as strategic partners. The government should also provide small and medium-sized enterprises with information from this perspective and foster international entrepreneurial orientation.

Why Does Institutional Opening-up Promote the Enhancement of Innovation Capabilities in Chinese Enterprises?

China’s involvement in global economic governance has been a progressive and step-by-step ascent. While the domestic and international environment has undergone major changes, the process of economic globalization has taken on new trends, and China has entered a new stage of high-level opening up. This paper’s theoretical analysis suggests that high-level opening up helps enhance the quality of foreign capital utilization, thereby addressing the challenges associated with the lower technological benefits of previous foreign capital utilization and further facilitating the enhancement of innovation capabilities in Chinese enterprises. Guided by this theoretical framework, this study has measured the level of opening up in Chinese provinces from 2013 to 2022 using web crawling technology. Econometric tests conducted with Chinese enterprise panel data reveal that: firstly, First, it effectively promotes the improvement of the total innovation output of enterprises and significantly improves breakthrough innovation capabilities. This result still holds true under a series of robustness and endogeneity tests; secondly, it mainly improves local advantages and high-quality international The attraction of foreign capital and multinational companies enables local companies to achieve breakthroughs and catch-up in core technologies by learning and competing with advanced foreign companies, thereby enhancing their technological innovation capabilities; thirdly, for companies in different industries and different ownership attributes The impact of improving innovation capabilities may vary. This study helps promote a new paradigm of innovation-driven development in the context of high-level opening-up.

The evolution of tax strategies in multinational companies: a historical perspective

The evolution of tax strategies in multinational companies: a historical perspective

Examining the Impact of International Financial Reporting Standards Adoption on Financial Reporting Quality of Multinational Companies

Examining the Impact of International Financial Reporting Standards Adoption on Financial Reporting Quality of Multinational Companies

When digital taxes come due: national digital taxes and the negotiation of the OECD inclusive framework

ABSTRACT What explains major shifts in international tax cooperation? Existing literature emphasises either the centrality of the United States for successful reform or the power of multinational corporations to exert downward pressure on global tax rates. Nonetheless, in 2021 members of the OECD Inclusive Framework (IF) agreed to tax some of the largest multinational companies based on their market activities rather than physical presence – a fundamental change to the international taxation regime that the U.S. government and U.S. multinational corporations (MNCs) had long opposed. We argue that the spread of digital value chains has exposed the activities of MNCs to greater regulatory activity, allowing governments to use unilateral regulatory action as leverage in international negotiations. By shifting the reversion point – the status quo absent an international agreement – governments were collectively able to transform an agreement. We demonstrate our argument by examining how the implementation of national digital services taxes (DSTs) affected the OECD IF negotiations. Drawing on interviews with key stakeholders and primary sources, we show that the adoption of DSTs, including in France and India, and the threat of additional proliferation of DSTs, pushed the United States to drop its longstanding opposition to parts of the IF process.

Navigating the Regulatory Maze: The Vital Role of Regulatory Affairs in Pharmaceutical Safety and Quality

The real struggle of pharmaceutical industries for survival lies in performing processes by following the guidelines of various regulatory authorities around the globe to provide assured quality of the process under regulations [1]. A profession under-regulated industry, such as that controlling pharmaceuticals, medical devices, energy, and banking, is called Regulatory Affairs (RA) [2]. They may involve minor or major multinational corporations, including innovative biotechnology companies, which have a specific meaning and a separate specialized depart-ment of RA professionals. This department helps to guide the company on the regional and global laws and regulations set forth by different regulatory authorities and helps safeguard the products’ life cycle. The purpose of regulatory departments or pro-fessionals is to develop and promote heavily controlled therapeutic or pharmaceutical goods and build a platform for marketing approval. In addition to this, RA in the pharmaceutical industry is comparatively a new field to safeguard public well-being by monitoring the safety and efficacy of the products [3]. Furthermore, in the late 1950s, multiple tragedies resulted in an increase in legislation for pharmaceutical goods’ quality, safety, and efficacy. As a part of this, strict norms were made for Marketing Authorization (MA) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) [4]. These tragedies included (i) sulphanilamide elixir; (ii) vac-cine tragedy; and (iii) thalidomide tragedy [4]. The present article covers the regulatory affairs’ responsibilities and importance in the context of pharmaceutical industries.

Non-arm's-length transactions, offshore financial centres, transfer pricing agreements and corporate cash holdings: Evidence from U.S. multinational corporations

This paper examines the association between non-arm's-length transactions, the existence of offshore financial centres, the existence of a transfer pricing agreement and corporate cash holdings for a large sample of U.S. multinational corporations over the 2006–2020 period. This study provides evidence that the existence of non-arm's-length transactions and of offshore financial centres increased the level of corporate cash holdings. In contrast, the existence of a transfer pricing agreement reduces the level of firm cash holdings. Overall, these results suggest that development of transfer pricing agreements with taxing authorities reduces multinational corporations' incentives and capacity to shift profits from higher- to lower-tax countries. These results remain robust to alternative specifications of cash holdings and endogeneity tests.

Global Integration vs. Local Responsiveness: Managing Strategic Dilemmas in Multinational Corporations

In the dynamic landscape of multinational corporations (MNCs), achieving a balance between global integration and local responsiveness poses a significant strategic dilemma. This study investigates how MNCs navigate this dual challenge to maintain competitive advantage and operational efficiency in diverse global markets. theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence to understand the strategic choices made by MNCs in integrating global operations while responding to local market demands. the tensions between standardized global strategies aimed at achieving economies of scale and localized strategies tailored to meet unique customer preferences, regulatory requirements, and cultural nuances. Key aspects analyzed include the strategic decision-making processes, organizational structures, and management practices that facilitate or hinder effective global-local integration. The study reviews case studies and comparative analyses of MNCs across different industries to illustrate successful strategies and best practices in managing these strategic dilemmas.

The Perception of Corporate Social Responsibility and Employee Flourishing: Cultural Diversity as an Underlying Mechanism

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been a field of interest over the past couple of decades. The challenges posed by rapidly evolving technology and frequently changing market conditions along with well-informed customers, have compelled firms to pay greater attention to their stakeholders and address social, economic, and environmental issues. This heightened focus on CSR reflects a growing perception that success transcends financial gains and encompasses broader benefits to communities and society. Moreover, there is growing recognition of the impact of internal CSR practices, which not only enhance a firm’s reputation, assets, and customer retention but also significantly influence the well-being, engagement, and satisfaction of their workforce. Currently, for some firms, particularly multinational corporations (MNCs), promoting internal CSR practices becomes particularly complex amidst diverse workforces encompassing varied languages and cultures. This study, thus, explores the relationship between perceived CSR practices and workplace outcomes, including the mediating role of cultural diversity. Based on data collected from 211 employees in 19 different countries, the results reveal that perceived CSR effects on employee well-being, satisfaction, and engagement are driven by diversified cultural settings. Accordingly, these findings reinforce the urgency to delve deeper into the implications of cultural diversity within CSR frameworks.

Advancing Arbitration for Multinational Construction Projects in Saudi Arabia Through Flexibility and Legal Reforms

The role of arbitration in resolving multinational construction disputes in Saudi Arabia is explored, focusing on procedural flexibility, confidentiality, and the impact of recent legal reforms. Multinational companies prefer arbitration over traditional litigation due to its closed process, which protects sensitive information—crucial in Saudi Arabia's privacy-focused business environment. Using qualitative methods like case studies, interviews, and legal document analysis, the research highlights key themes such as the need for arbitrators with technical expertise and cultural understanding, enhancing the arbitration process. Confidentiality is a major factor in choosing arbitration, offering protection from public exposure. Additionally, arbitration’s procedural flexibility allows for customized solutions, leading to faster dispute resolution. Legal reforms, including the Saudi Arbitration Law 2012 and the Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA), have strengthened the arbitration framework, boosting investor confidence and improving efficiency. Future research should examine the long-term impact of these reforms, assess the effectiveness of new arbitration institutions, and explore challenges in maintaining confidentiality and selecting competent arbitrators across sectors.