Re‐evaluation of underlying assumptions and refocusing of objectives in criticisms of international business

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this article is to address the question of what it means to be critical in relationship to international business. Design/methodology/approach -Explores the underlying assumptions and objectives in the debates involving international business and trade. Findings -The emotional aspects of the debate have resulted in obscuring the objectives and underlying assumptions of those involved in the discussions. It is proposed that the underlying assumptions are reevaluated and there is a refocusing of objectives in order to produce more productive results from being critical of international business. The debate should resume with an acceptance of well established principles supported by decades of empirical research and history by all parties and the debate should focus on the actual practices of international businesses in an attempt to make international trade work for all rather than attacking international business as an institution. Originality/value -Explores the overlooked underlying assumptions and differing objectives of those involved in criticizing international business. Focusing on the prime objective of being critical of international business, lessening poverty around the world, rather than on the debate and one's perceived opponents, will lead to academia better fulfilling its role of being an objective observer and reporter of international business activities in the debate and lessen the risk of academia becoming a biased participant.

Inequality through MNE–emerging economy coevolution? A political actor view on Myanmar/Burma’s peacebuilding

“…Importantly, the motivation for this study was to examine IB as a complex phenomenon and to avoid seeking only negative or positive evidence of MNEs’ influence on the economic and social inequality of emerging country populations (cf. Hipsher, 2006). The findings of this empirical study on MNEs’ and emerging economy institutions’ mutual influences portray the complexity of their coevolution.…”

“…Importantly, the motivation for this study is not to seek only supporting evidence of MNEs' effect on creating economic and social inequality for the populations of emerging market economies, but to open-mindedly examine international business as a complex phenomenon with different forms of consequences for its surrounding (cf. Hipsher, 2006). Hence, the study addresses the question: How do political actors perceive MNEs' creation of (in)equality in host emerging economy societies?…”

The role of trade narratives in poverty reduction after the COVID-19 crisis

“…It has been argued in these types of narratives, free markets and what is sometimes labelled as capitalism, has more to do with expanding freedom of choice than it does with enriching the few at the expense of the many. It has been argued in an efficient market enrichment of the producer can only come from the producing of goods and services consumers consider to be valuable and voluntarily choose to purchase (Gilder, 2012;Hayak,2016Hayak, /1960Hipsher, 2006).…”

Multinational enterprises and economic inequality

“…In several other studies, inequality represents a part of the background for the study, without playing a direct role in the analysis. In several articles from the search results, inequality is mentioned when positioning the study in terms of broader debates on globalisation and MNEs (Zanfei, 2005; Hipsher, 2006; Vahlne et al , 2018). For instance, Vahlne et al (2018) briefly refer to scholars concerned about the impacts of globalisation on inequality, while noting that many of these scholars are not inherently against globalisation as such.…”