MULTINATIONALS-Behind the Facade

MULTINATIONALS Behind the Facade R S Ganapathy OVER the last few years, large American and European multinational corporations have increasingly felt the need to polish their public image and present themselves as socially responsible business organisations. The basic objective, however, remains that of maximising profitability. Environmental pollution, profiteering, restrictive trade practices, sale of lower quality goods, false advertising claims, repressive labour policies, corruption, political interference and lobbying, arc all important issues on which the modern business corporation's positions are precisely those that boost its overall profitability. A whole breed of professional managers has been groomed, however, to develop in collusion with the owners, a facade of social responsibility