IBS Lunchtime Research Seminar - The continued relevance of governance thinking for international business strategy: The case of MNE 'sustainability’ strategies - Alain Verbeke

You are cordially invited to attend an IBS lunchtime research seminar by Professor Alain Verbeke, University of Calgary . Please join us in Room 108, Henley Business School. If you have not received the email invite please email Angie Clark.

Please make sure you let me know in advance if you intend to attend in person so that the correct amount of catering is booked.

Title: IBS Lunchtime Research Seminar - The continued relevance of governance thinking for international business strategy: The case of MNE 'sustainability’ strategies

Date: Monday 26th June 2023

Time: 13.00 – 14.15pm

Teams – A Teams link to the seminar is included for those who cannot attend in person, however attendance in person is preferred.

Abstract

Alain Verbeke will provide analysis of the sustainability-oriented strategies of multinational enterprises (MNEs) through a governance lens, using modern transaction cost theory (TCT). He will introduce the dimensions of such analysis, in both advanced economy and emerging economy contexts. In the advanced economy sphere, he will discuss especially the Volkswagen emission scandal. He will show that MNEs can sometimes be unreliable in making good on their promises to achieve sustainability-oriented goals, but with this unreliability arising from a variety of governance deficiencies rather than merely from ‘greed’. In the emerging economy context, much has been written about the supposed need for MNEs to engage with – and support – informal institutions. In contrast, Verbeke will focus on the role of formal institutions to permit MNEs to contribute positively towards achieving sustainability-oriented goals.