Chapter Objectives

The desire for economic growth and profitability is leading many companies to do business in countries other than their home nation. Whether a company buys resources, manufactures products, or sells goods and services in foreign markets, doing business across borders inevitably draws a company into a web of global social, economic, and political issues. Some issues are specific to the company, while others involve the entire global business system. Understanding what these issues are, why they exist, and how to manage them is vital to managers and companies. This chapter addresses some of the emerging social issues arising in the global economy of the twenty-first century.

This chapter focuses on these key questions and objectives:

2 What social issues challenge a company's international supply and operations strategies?

3 What social issues challenge a company's international marketing strategies?

4 How do companies manage social and political issues involving conflicts between two or more countries in which they do business?

5 What global corporate citizenship strategies do companies doing international business follow in the countries where they operate? What makes a global corporate citizenship strategy different than a domestic corporate citizenship strategy?