Global Business in Local Culture

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xvi

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2. Introduction

   • Philipp Aerni

   Pages 1-11

3. Societal Foundations of Economic Development

   • Philipp Aerni

   Pages 13-19

4. Neoliberalism: A Mythical and Meaningful Term Devoid of Any Deep Thought

   • Philipp Aerni

   Pages 21-28

5. The Impact of Popular Stereotypes in Academic Research and Public Policy

   • Philipp Aerni

   Pages 29-49

6. The New Understanding of the Term ‘Embeddedness’ in Economic Sociology

   • Philipp Aerni

   Pages 51-59

7. Economic Globalization as a “Disembedding” Force?

   • Philipp Aerni

   Pages 61-72

8. Embedded MNEs and Their Contribution to Sustainable Change

   • Philipp Aerni

   Pages 73-88

9. Development Cooperation as a Catalyst for Sustainable Long-Term FDI

   • Philipp Aerni

   Pages 89-97

10. Concluding Remarks

    • Philipp Aerni

    Pages 99-110

11. Back Matter

    Pages 111-122

    PDF

This book examines the impact of multinational enterprises (MNEs) on local economies, and presents selected case studies of MNEs operating in low income countries. By balancing external social and environmental costs against its corresponding benefits, the book demonstrates that MNEs can have a positive net-impact on local development if they build up social capital by embedding themselves in local economies and engaging responsibly with local stakeholders. By doing so MNEs contribute to inclusive growth, a central pillar of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In this context, the book challenges popular narratives in civil society and academia that frame foreign direct investment (FDI) merely as a threat to human rights and sustainable development. Moreover, it offers practical guidance for globally operating businesses seeking to establish progressive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategies of their own.

• Karl Polanyi
• Multinational enterprises
• Foreign direct investments
• Public-private partnerships
• Globalization
• Global knowledge economy
• UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Anti-globalization rhetoric
• Embeddedness
• Sustainability
• Human Rights
• GMOs

• Center for Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CCRS) at the University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland

  Philipp Aerni

Philipp Aerni is Director of the Center for Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CCRS). He received his Master’s in Geography from the University of Zurich and completed his PhD in agricultural economics at the ETH Zurich. Prior to his position at the CCRS, Dr. Aerni was a research fellow at Harvard University, the ETH Zurich, the University of Berne, and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

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