This first volume of the United Nations Library on Transnational Corporation, prepared by John H. Dunning, sets out some of the leading contributions on the theory of the determinants of TNC activity: Why does it occur? Where does it take place? What particular advantages do transnational corporations possess over other firms in the territories in which they produce? Why do firms prefer to engage in foreign direct investment rather than trade, or to conclude cross-border licensing agreements and strategic alliances? The present volume traces the evolution of the thoughts and writings of economists and business analysts since Stephen Hymer´s classic contributions in the 1960s to Mark Casson´s incisive speculations in the early 1990s on the future of the theory of international business. In particular, the contributions depict both the many different strands of intellectual heritage that help explain the contemporary transnational corporation and its global activities and, more particularly, the recognition of the need for a multidisciplinary approach to the subject.

This second volume of the United Nations Library on Transnational Corporations, edited by Geoffrey Jones, is devoted to the historical development of the activities of transnational corporations, and particularly to some of this consequences for the economic development and restructuring of countries in the late nineteenth and early of twentieth centuries. To most international business scholars, that is a neglected area of research. Yet, in recent years, it has become a major fascination of business historians and applied economists. As the contributions in this volume show, may of today’s most topical and contentious issues involving transnational corporations were no less debated by previous generations of researchers and practitioners. The introduction surveys the considerable research on this subject, a d describes how it is helping to shed new light on previously unknown aspects of the activities of transnational corporations

This third volume of the United Nations Library on Transnational Corporations, edited by Sanjaya Lall, is dedicated to the impact of transnational corporations on economic development, a topic that has fascinated both researchers and policy-makers since the mid-1960s. The introduction to the volume reviews both the evolution of scholarly thinking and the changing attitudes of governments towards the contributions of transnational corporations over the past two decades. In particular, it emphasizes the need to take a dynamic view of the role of foreign direct investment in economic development and also cautions against drawing generalized conclusions about the impact of transnational corporations, or of offering simplistic advice to governments of host countries about the appropriate action towards, or as a consequence of, inbound activities of transnational corporations

This fourth volume of the United Nations Library on Transnational Corporations, edited by Donald J. Lecraw and Allen J. Morrison, identifies and explains the evolving managerial strategies of transnational corporations and how, in particular, they vary between different kinds of transnational corporations and the industries and countries within which they operate. The volume shows that the literature on the management and organization of resources and capabilities owned across national boundaries is a very recent one; researchers are still trying to grapple with the theory and practice of transnational business conduct. At the same time, a good deal of evidence has accumulated to suggest that, within particular industries and countries, transnational corporations of different sizes and nationalities do pursue distinctive strategies.

This fifth volume of the United Nations Library on Transnational Corporations discuses one of the most technical aspects of transnational corporation activity embraced in the series of volumes. In the contemporary global corporation financial capital is one of the most fungible assets to cross national boundaries. The determinants of the way in which transnational corporations acquire, organize and manage those assets is of critical importance, not only to the success of those corporations, but also to the development and industrial restructuring of nation states. In the introduction, the editors of this volume, Arthur Stonehill and Michael Moffett introduce the reader to the mainstream literature on this topic

This sixth volume of the United Nations Library on Transnational Corporations is dedicated to the organizational behaviour of transnational corporations. Since the early 1960s, organizational scholars have sought to analyse the consequences of internationalisation of business activity for the organizational structure and the geographical locus of decision-making of firms. Many of the contributions chosen by Gunnar Hedlung for the present volume are of recent origin. The 1980s saw a burgeoning of research into all aspects of the organizational behaviour of transnational corporations, as both scholars and practitioners increasingly found that the way in which global firms manage their competitive advantages is an important competitive advantage in itself. Moreover, as the example of Japanese firms show, such management differs according to both the nationality of firms and the kind, extent and location of investment undertaken. Since the 1990s, both intra- and inter-firm organizational relationships are likely to become a more important discriminating feature explaining both the impact and consequences of transnational corporation activity. Part One focuses on the historical evolution of organizational structure. Part two presents various perspectives from economic theory. Part three discusses control and coordination instruments in the management of transnational corporations. Part four examines conceptions of the global firm

This seventh volume of the United Nations Library on Transnational Corporations Is dedicated to the political economy of transnational corporations. In both his introduction and his selection of readings, Theodore Moran guides the reader through the change of perceptions about the consequences of transnational corporation activity over the past thirty years, and the reasons for them. He not only surveys the likely causes of conflict between transnational corporations and governments, but also offers practical advice as to how these conflicts might be resolved.

This eighth volume of the United Nations Library on Transnational Corporations is dedicated to the interaction between transnational corporations and the cross-border trade in goods, assets and services. Does foreign direct investment substitute or complement trade? What difference does it make if trade is internally organized by transnational corporations or conducted at arm’s length between independent parties? To what extent do transnational corporations open up new foreign markets to the countries in which they operate and to what extent do they close them? In his introduction Peter Grey deal with these and other trade related issues in some detail, and then goes on to review the main strands of research undertaken by scholars over the past thirty years

This tenth volume of the United Nations Library on Transnational Corporations is dedicated to the activities of transnational corporations in resource-based sectors of host countries. Although much of the foreign investment since the nineteenth century has been directed to mining, agricultural and forestry, energy and raw materials, most academic research on the determinants and impact of transnational corporation activiy has been directed to the manufacturing and, more recently, services sectors. Yet to a few developed and many developing countries, the main impact of transnational corporations continues to be on the production and marketing of energy, minerals and agricultural products. The volume trace the mainstream research that has been undertaken on the subject.

This eleventh volume of the United Nations Library on Transnational Corporations is dedicated to the literature on the role of transnational corporations in the industrialization process of developing countries. For most of the past decades opinions to industrial development only of certain political and macro economic conditions are met

This twelve volume of the United Nations Library on Transnational Corporations is dedicated to the role of transnational corporations in the development and restructuring of services. …. Its unique feature is that it internalises the markets for intermediate products, many of which are services. It is therefore surprising that more attention was not given to services related to transnational corporation activity. The events of recent decades however have affected the role of services in the production process, the consumption patterns of final consumers, and the extent and form of their tradability across national boundaries. As a result, in recent years economists and business analysts have given more attention to the role of transnational corporations in services. The articles in this volume are grouped under the following topics: conceptual issues, transnational corporations in selected services industries, the impact of transnational service corporations, and the policy framework

This fifteenth volume of the United Nations Library on Transnational Corporations is dedicated to the spill–over effects of transnational corporations on the rest of the economies in which they operate. One of those impacts concerns the market structure in which transnational corporations compete. Do they promote or impede competition? What sort of business practices do they introduce? Do they aid or restrict the dissemination of innovative, cost-reducing techniques? Do they open or close foreign markets? The volume take care to identify the specific attributes of transnational corporations that may cause them to affect market structure differently than national corporations. The articles in this volume are grouped under the following headings: structure, conduct, performance, and policy implications.

This sixteenth volume of the United Nations Library on Transnational Corporations is dedicated to the interaction between human resources and transnational corporations, both in terms of determinants of, and impact from, TNC activity. As the volume shows, there is considerable literature on the ways in which transnational corporations have affected the level and structure of employment, its geographical distribution, the opportunities for training and advancement, recruitment policies and the interaction between management and labour unions. The articles in this volume are grouped under the following headings: human resources issues; employment, compensation and training issues; human resources management; and emerging issues

This seventeenth volume of the United Nations Library on Transnational Corporations is dedicated to the determinants and implications of the role of transnational corporations in technological innovation. In the current world economy, technological and organizational advances are one of the more critical engines of economic growth, and the main means by which countries and firms are able to sustain and advance their global competitive positions. The articles in this volume are grouped under the following headings: theory and analytical foundations; the internationalisation of technological activity; new organizational forms; the ownership and location of innovative capacity, the internationalisation of economic activity , and policies for national competitiveness.

This eighteenth volume of the United Nations Library on Transnational Corporations is dedicated to the interaction between foreign direct investment and the transfer of technology. The introduction to the volume identifies and analyses the different schools of thought on these issues and how the perspective of scholars has changed over the past twenty years. It also examines the responses of home and host governments to the actions of transnational corporations in this area. The articles in this volume are grouped under the following headings: the role of transnational corporations in technology transfer; forms, costs and conditions of technology transfer; impacts on host and home countries

This nineteenth volume of the Library on Transnational Corporations deals with national laws that affect transnational corporations: host country laws on foreign direct investment; host, home and third country tax-haven laws; anti-trust and labour laws; specialized regulation dealing with the environment, consumer protection, capital markets and a host of other subjects; and, of course, the legislation dealing with all types of contracts and the establishment of corporations, and that dealing with litigation and arbitration, should disputes arise. The articles in this volume are grouped under the following headings: the corporation – basic law and nationality; national regulations and solutions to particular problems

This twentieth volume of the Library on Transnational Corporations is dedicated to the emerging international legal framework for transnational corporations and their activities. While no single comprehensive international agreement is in force, a varied collection of bilateral and multilateral treaties, and other instruments is in the process of bringing into existence he international standards and norms necessary for governing the treatment and operations of transitional corporations. With no attempt at a comprehensive coverage, the readings collected under this volume deal with the materials out of which the framework has been constructed and point to some of the emerging standards. The articles are grouped under the following headings; towards an international legal framework; principal lawmaking methods and instruments; major disruptions of the operations of transnational corporations; the establishment and operations of transnational corporations.