Market-driven neoliberal ideology advocates for the adoption of English as the common business language by multinational companies; however, this often clashes with multilingual realities. This study explores how neoliberal ideologies have made English a catalyst for language-related conflicts within language management across various stages at a Shanghai-based subsidiary of a German multinational corporation. Data for this research was gathered via a seven-month ethnographic study and includes analysis of publicly accessible documents from the company's website, meeting transcripts, ethnographic notes, and semi-structured interviews with five local employees. Qualitative data analysis identified conflicts in the company's recruitment process, daily business communication, and language support services. Conflicting language management created communicative barriers and limited local employees’ engagement in the company's business affairs. Through a neoliberal lens, the findings highlight that when neoliberal English dominance encounters multilingual realities, the latter may undermine the efficiency and profitability central to neoliberal objectives. It is concluded that a reinterpreting of the neoliberal agenda is important for both policy makers and local employees to reconfigure neoliberal subjectivity, alongside measures to empower local employees’ linguistic and epistemic resources to facilitate their full participation in corporate affairs.

In emerging economies, economic development and pro-social policies are closely entwined. Multinational corporations have presented a positive image of their economic and social activities to investors and society to justify exploiting countries’ natural resources. This study examines the Arabian American Oil Company’s (Aramco) pro-social/corporate social responsibility programs in employment, housing, and healthcare from 1932 to 1974. These programs did not stem from a philanthropic rationale but were necessary to enable Aramco to create the infrastructure to find, extract, and control the oil assets. Hierarchical control was institutionalized through racism and discrimination in employment, housing, and health regulations. However, Aramco adopted impression management strategies to present a positive image of itself as a socially responsible company contributing to the economic and social development of Saudi Arabia. We analyze management statements in company reports and internal documents to identify and categorize the application of these impression management techniques up to when the Saudi government took a controlling stake in Aramco.

This study investigates the determinants of coffee prices received by growers in Costa Rica, paying attention to the impact of environmental, regional, quality, and international aspects in a panel data set for the period 2008–2016. We identify three groups of variables that affect domestic coffee prices. Some of them are external to the control of the coffee growers, such as the international price of green coffee or the power of multinationals; others, such as the altitude where the coffee is harvested or the berries' yield, are related to coffee quality but difficult to modify by coffee growers. The focus of our study is on the third group, which refers to differentiation strategies related to environmental certifications. More specifically, we consider two particularly relevant certifications, which are Fairtrade mills and organic coffee. We find that organic coffee berries received higher prices, but Fairtrade mills report lower average prices than other, non-certified, buyers.

This study investigated Zambian importation, distribution and use of agricultural pesticides.

Data was collected by interviews, questionnaires and direct observation at international, national, warehouse and user levels. A wide range of pesticides is available. Imports and distribution are controlled by a few multinational companies (MNC's). No government control exists on types or amounts imported, and on distribution, packaging or labelling. Safety information is virtually non-existent. Some Zambianused pesticides are under restriction in the West. The total amount used seems to be increasing. Harmful health effects have been observed. The number of involved MNC's appears to be increasing.

The largest amount of imported pesticides is used by government in large scale medical and agricultural control schemes. In agriculture, large-scale farmers use most pesticides, but small-scale farmers are now beginning to use greater amounts and more types.

Most MNC's see this latter sector as a large future market. Most farmers get pesticide information only from MNC's. By comparison, the Extension Service is inadequate. Consequently, the authors suggest that the following are needed: A broad based Zambian advisory committee on pesticides; government legislation of importation, distribution, packaging, labelling and safety; and Extension Service expansion.