“Global companies represent challenges of governance which need to be studied comprehensively and systematically. This handbook tackles this challenge successfully and represents both the scholarly progress and the maturity of this field of study. It is a must in any social sciences library and will be highly useful for scholars, graduate students and undergraduates alike.” David Levi-Faur, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
“This is an excellent volume examining the role multinational corporations play in global public policy processes. The contributors recognize that motivations and strategies of these firms cannot be reduced to profit maximization. To understand how corporations influence policy, one must explore the complex nature of the modern global firm. The Handbook of Global Companies will enlighten the on-going debates on globalization and public policy.” Aseem Prakash, University of Washington
“For all their impact on the global policy environment, multinational companies remain relatively understudied outside the management and international business framework. This Handbook, deftly edited by John Mikler, identifies how global companies are political and social, as well as economic, actors that drive globalization, and in turn are shaped by it. The chapters, written by both distinguished and rising scholars, provide a welcome breadth of coverage, ranging from theoretical and political issues of power to social issues of sustainability and the role of corporations in safeguarding (or destroying) the planet. This impressive handbook is destined to become a standard reference for anyone interested in global companies as policy actors.” Linda Weiss, Professor Emeritus, University of Sydney
From the Inside Flap
It is now a widely held belief that corporations are among the most powerful institutions on the planet, yet there is a surprising lack of sophisticated analysis into the level of influence they hold in terms of policy and governance. The Handbook of Global Companies compiles a series of original essays by established experts and emerging scholars addressing the latest theoretical findings and empirical evidence relating to the role of global companies in national, regional and international governance.
Debate about the power global companies wield in a world characterized by complex interdependence – from the national to the regional through to the global level – is the central theme of this Handbook. Questions surrounding the ways global companies share authority to effect new forms of governance with states and international organizations are covered, as are their relations with civil society. Particular industries are considered, such as the role of the finance industry and national regulators, the role of mining companies in developing countries, and the role of consulting firms as agents of change. Central themes facing the world and the role of global companies in respect of these, such as development, inequality, the environment, and social responsibility are featured in the contributions. New forms of global companies and the role they play in emerging markets, such as China, are also covered. Additional sections address the broader potential and limitations of global companies as a catalyst in global governance. This wide-ranging coverage ensures The Handbook of Global Companies offers important insights into the complexities and societal impact of twenty-first century corporations in today’s globalized world.
From the Back Cover
It is now a widely held belief that corporations are among the most powerful institutions on the planet, yet there is a surprising lack of sophisticated analysis into the level of influence they hold in terms of policy and governance. The Handbook of Global Companies compiles a series of original essays by established experts and emerging scholars addressing the latest theoretical findings and empirical evidence relating to the role of global companies in national, regional and international governance.
Debate about the power global companies wield in a world characterized by complex interdependence – from the national to the regional through to the global level – is the central theme of this Handbook. Questions surrounding the ways global companies share authority to effect new forms of governance with states and international organizations are covered, as are their relations with civil society. Particular industries are considered, such as the role of the finance industry and national regulators, the role of mining companies in developing countries, and the role of consulting firms as agents of change. Central themes facing the world and the role of global companies in respect of these, such as development, inequality, the environment, and social responsibility are featured in the contributions. New forms of global companies and the role they play in emerging markets, such as China, are also covered. Additional sections address the broader potential and limitations of global companies as a catalyst in global governance. This wide-ranging coverage ensures The Handbook of Global Companies offers important insights into the complexities and societal impact of twenty-first century corporations in today’s globalized world.
About the Author
John Mikler is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney. His research interests are primarily focused on the role of transnational economic actors, particularly multinational corporations, and the interaction between them and states, international organizations and civil society. He is the author of Greening the Car Industry: Varieties of Capitalism and Climate Change (2009), and has published widely in journals including Business and Politics, Regulation and Governance, Global Society, Policy and Society, Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, and New Political Economy.
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