Playing around an oxymoron: international business with a human face

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to discuss the apparent paradox that multinational firms may and sometimes do pursue social benefits as their main objective.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper explores the grey area that lays between some consolidated analytical concepts, namely: spillovers, corporate responsibility, social cooperation and non‐governmental organizations. It is in this grey area that “social multinationals” can be placed and examined. Scattered evidence is provided to illustrate the emergence of this relatively new phenomenon.

Findings

There are weak signals that the “social multinational” is a viable institutional innovation. The economic rationale is mainly represented by what could be defined in Smithian terms as the “selfless component of self‐interest”, combined with the ex ante and ex post advantages associated to multinationality. Institutional and technological transformations have created opportunities for the emergence of this phenomenon over the past three decades. However, there is a need for specifically designed policies to reinforce this relatively new trend in international business.

Originality/value

The paper proposes a new analytical category and draws insights on its potential implications for welfare, poverty reduction and economic development.

Citation

Zanfei, A. (2012), "Playing around an oxymoron: international business with a human face", Critical Perspectives on International Business, Vol. 8 No. 1, pp. 56-73. https://doi.org/10.1108/17422041211197567