The future of multinational enterprises: an optimist's view

Birkinshaw, J (2022) The future of multinational enterprises: an optimist's view. In: The new frontiers of international business: contributions to management science. Springer Nature, pp. 299-305. ISBN 9783031060038

Abstract

While a great deal is written about the challenges facing large multinational enterprises (MNEs) in today’s fast-changing world, there is less said about the how resilient they are to external threats. For example, of the Fortune 500 companies in 2020, only 17 did not exist 25 years ago—the other 487 have been around a long time and have adapted very effectively. In this paper I argue that the size and diversity of MNEs, coupled with their embeddedness in the institutions of capitalism, makes them “bastions of stability” in a sea of change. I discuss some of the ways they have adapted, and why this level of stability is largely a good thing.