This course aims to provide students with a well-rounded understanding of transnational
corporations (TNCs). It develops students’ understanding of why TNCs exist, how they grow across nations, how they manage and organize their international operations, how they are shaped by national contexts and politics, and how they influence society and the wider world economy. The course uses case studies and class discussions to put theory into practice and facilitate learning. It also draws on the research conducted by Professor Boussebaa on TNCs and global professional service firms.
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
• display a systematic understanding of TNCs, both as organizations and as political actors;
• critically appraise a range of different theories and evidence on TNCs;
• explain how national contexts affect the management of TNCs and how the latter affect the former;
• apply relevant theoretical frameworks to reflect on and explain real-world TNC management challenges and situations;
• explain how the various topics to be studied in this course interrelate.
