The Transnational Capitalist Class

While most of the popular and academic debates explore ideas of globalization, The Transnational Capitalist Class goes one step further and provides theoretically informed empirical research to explain and deconstruct the process of globalization as seen by the corporations themselves.
Using personal interviews with executives and managers from over eighty Fortune Global 500 corporations, as well as already published sources, Sklair demonstrates how globalization works from the perspective of those who control and oppose the major globalizing corporations and their allies in government and the media.
The book explores two major crises of globalization – class polarization and ecological sustainability – and shows how the transnational capitalist class attempts to resolve these crises and evaluates its own success and failure. Sklair′s unique approach brings a fresh perspective to what has become a key debate of our time.

Spis treści:
List of Figures and Tables.
Preface and Acknowledgments.
1. Introduction:.
Global System Theory.
Four Propositions on the Transnational Capitalist Class.
Structure of the Book.
2. Globalizing Class Theory:.
Theorizing the Dominant Class. Structure and Dynamics of the Transnational Capitalist Class.
Dominant Classes and Dominated Groups.
′National′ Interest and the ′National′ Economy.
3. Transnational Corporations and the Global Economy:.
The Global Economy and the Fortune Global 500.
Consumer Goods and Services.
Financial Services.
Heavy Industries.
Infrastructure.
Electronics.
From ′National Companies with Units Abroad′ to Globalizing Corporations.
Global 500 Consumer Goods and Services Corporations.
Global 500 Financial Services Corporations.
Global 500 Heavy Industries Corporations.
Global 500 Infrastructure Corporations.
Global 500 Electronics Corporations.
The Non–respondents.
Conclusions.
4. Corporate Elites and the Transformation of Foreign Investment:.
The Transformation of Foreign Investment.
Global Brands.
The Regulatory Climate.
Phases of Foreign Investment.
The Home Base and Foreign Investment: The Case of NAFTA.
Disinvestment.
Foreign Investment as a Globalizing Practice.
5. World Best Practice, Benchmarking and National Competitiveness:.
World Best Practice, Benchmarking, and Globalization.
Industry Benchmarking.
Global Programme Benchmarking: Six Sigma and the Quest for Perfection.
Politicians, Professionals and the ′Competitiveness of Nations′.
World Best Practice as a Globalizing Practice.
6. Global Corporate Citizenship:.
Regulating the Corporations: History and Theory.
Employee Relations.
Corporate Philanthropy and Community Development.
Safety and Health of Consumers and Citizens.
Corporate Citizenship as a Globalizing Practice: Deconstructing Shell.
7. The Transnational Capitalist Class and the Struggle for the Environment:.
History and Theory of Corporate Environmentalism.
Corporate Capture of the Environmental Movement or Constructive Dialogue: the Creation of a Sustainable Development Historical Bloc.
Environmental Policies and Practices of Major Corporations.
Procter and Gamble.
Mitsubishi.
Monsanto.
Intel.
Dow.
RTZ (Rio Tinto).
BHP.
BP (BP Amoco).
Sustainable Development as a Globalizing Ideology.
8. Global Vision and the Culture–Ideology of Consumerism:.
Consumer–Oriented Global Visions for Humanity.
Industry–Oriented Global Visions.
Organization–Oriented Global Visions.
The Visionary Executive.
Global Vision as a Globalizing Practice.
9. Conclusion:.
Appendix 1: Fortune Global 500 Corporations (and Subsidiaries) Interviewed, by Business Sector.
Appendix 2: Other Corporations and Or ganizations Interviewed.
References.
General Index.
Author Index.

Nota biograficzna:
Leslie Sklair teaches sociology, and is responsible for the Ph.D. Research Programme in Sociology, at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He is the author of Assembling for Development (second edition, 1993) and Sociology of the Global System (second edition, 1995), and the editor of Capitalism and Development (1994).

Okładka tylna:
While most of the popular and academic debates explore ideas of globalization, The Transnational Capitalist Class goes one step further and provides theoretically informed empirical research to explain and deconstruct the process of globalization as seen by the corporations themselves.
Using personal interviews with executives and managers from over eighty Fortune Global 500 corporations, as well as already published sources, Sklair demonstrates how globalization works from the perspective of those who control and oppose the major globalizing corporations and their allies in government and the media.
The book explores two major crises of globalization – class polarization and ecological sustainability – and shows how the transnational capitalist class attempts to resolve these crises and evaluates its own success and failure. Sklair′s unique approach brings a fresh perspective to what has become a key debate of our time.