On Social Dimension Of Transnational Companies' Role

The development of Politics and Economy of Contemporary World has put the study of status, functions and influences of transnational companies to an unprecedented high level, among which, the study of transnational companies conduct is also under very prominent position. The twists and turns in the process of globalization development ,to a great extent, has changed the environment for transnational companies, for example, the protectionism and the increasing gap between the rich and poor among nations. Meanwhile, the influences of transnational companies in host countries have transformed from economic or political fields to social fields. Based on this fact, it is very important for us to explore transnational companies' functions and roles in economic, political and social affairs. Especially, it is necessary to focus on the reasons for transnational companies to enhance its social responsibilities.Based on the related research, the dissertation adoptes a relatively new theoretical perspective, the logic of "International Political Economics" and " Sociology of Multinational Corporation", to combine structure-conduct-influence ideas with corporate-government-society dimensions to explore the political, economic, social conduct of transnational companies in current international economic structure ,and especially the social conduct of transnational companies, social characteristics for the international community and its significance. This theoretical perspective is not only fit for the needs of transnational companies' tendency, but a new attempt to transnational companies' research from the perspective of international relations.There are altogether three parts, five chapters.Introduction: introduces the reason of choosing this subject.Chapter One: Theory. First, the author makes an exposition of the connotation and extension of some core concepts including "Transnational Companies", "International Society", "Role of Transnational Companies","Social Dimension of Transnational Companies". Then, by linking the topic, the author introduces the main theoretical analysis frame and analysis tool. As follows: social conduct theory in sociology and enterprise -government - society analysis perspective. At the same time, the author reviews the existing transnational companies conduct theory. Finally, the author expounds the innovation of this thesis.Chapter Two: Analysis of international environment for transnational corporations' conduct. In this chapter, the author, by integrating characteristics of Transnational Corporation's social conduct, mainly analyzes the transnational corporation's environment with the issues of economic globalization and its process, the needs of global governance and the switching angle of global economy's structure. The author thinks it is just because the problems of international society, the needs of global governance and the tendency of global industrial structure shifting into the tertiary industry that a high level of attention to transnational corporations' social functions and social influences is brought about.Chapter Three: Analysis of transnational corporation's conduct in international relations. Undeniably, First of all acts of multinational corporations for economic performance is the pursuit of high profits; Followed by the political performance,, making use of the government's relations to take advantage of political capital for their own profits; However, facing increasingly close ties of the global network, globalization brought about by global issues and traditional international coordination, settlement mechanisms have become increasingly obvious inherent limitations. How to be in harmony with the society of host countries and how to join in and construct current international mechanism by fair and proper way has become the task for multinational corporations at present and for a long time. This chapter has inspected mainly three angles of the multinational corporation conduct.Chapter Four: Analysis of transnational corporation conduct's social functions and its influences. Along with the speeding-up process of economic globalization, trans-national corporations obtain economic profits, but at the same time it faces many global issues. The sustainable development needs to summon to return and strengthen the transnational corporation's society conduct. To be specific, the social function and influences of transnational corporation's conduct mainly perform as follows: First, as non-traditional international society conduct body, transnational corporation can promote international cultural communication and understanding; second, constructing the social network between the transnational corporation and other transnational corporations, constructing the relation network with other international relations conduct body, strengthens to the global society's control and construction;Moreover, transnational corporation should play a pivotal role in solving the global society issue; Finally, transnational corporation should contribute to promoting the global middle class formation and constructing the global civil society.Chapter Five: Mainly based on macro-analyses of the above several chapters. Taking the development of Carrefour in China as an example, the author launches the analysis from four aspects: First, analyzing the internal structure of Carrefour in China; Next, comparing these three retails enterprises' (Carrefour, Wal-Mart, Metro ) different strategies in China.;Besides, looking over China and France, with the comparison of how Carrefour deals with relations of its suppliers between China and France, giving the perspective of the limitation and the insufficiency of the core strategy—the pattern "wants the profit of the suppliers"; Finally, reviewing the changes of the guidance conduct in the developing course of Carrefour in China, namely: the economic guidance conduct in the stage of entering China during "reforming and opening up "- - the political guidance conduct after the order of the central authorities to reorganize - -the social guidance conduct resulting from frequent problems of the food security and the product quality, Finally, giving the perspective to the influence of Carrefour group to the relations between China and France, concluding that the Carrefour group takes the French culture as carrier, promotes Sino-French cultural exchanges, and deepens the understanding between themselves.Conclusion: the dissertation is mainly to ponder theoretically and summarize the role localization and social conduct of multinational corporations, drawing conclusions and puts forward further discussions. They are as follows: Firstly, the economic globalization provides the concept structure and the discussion linguistic environment for the social conduct of the multinational corporation. The multinational corporation' daily network, the common benefit shares urges multinational corporations to start considerering other benefit correlations. Secondly, the appearance of multinational retail Sales Corporation and the multinational media corporation is enriching the extension of the multinational corporation. The multinational corporation plays an important role and has a profound influence on the increase and decrease of many kinds of strengths in the international society. Thirdly, multinational corporations, as multinational economic entity of economic activities, political conducts, social conducts, having the progress and historical limitation, must be understudied correctly.The revelations include: Revelation 1, transnational corporations showing a new trend, new features and international community influence, China will actively deal with the economic, political and social influence of transnational corporations. Revelation 2, China is not only to learn how to deal with the influence of transnational corporations in China, but to "going global" , make unremitting efforts to promote China's economic development, fight over economic globalization for the right to speak out, and spread China's theory of harmonious development. Revelation 3, for our corporations moving towards international society, we can do from the enterprise level, the government level and the society level. Discussions on the main issue include: first, when transnational corporations are in the promotion of international cultural communication, whether it intentionally or unintentionally, promotes cultural hegemony? Second, do specific interest-led transnational corporations really play its governance role in resolving global problems; promote "good governance" achieved? Thirdly, the formation and development of civil society provides modern democracy with indispensable social conditions. However, transnational corporations, as citizens of community involvement, are always inseparable from achieving its maximized benefits, then, can they truly promote the formation of a global society?...