Partnership with the private sector: making self-regulation effective in developing countries
This project investigates whether corporate self-regulatory schemes can be effective institutions of global economic governance. It asks under what conditions such schemes constrain environmental, labour and human rights outcomes of multinational business activity, particularly in developing countries
The research
This project looks beyond the excitement about the novelty of corporate codes as a source of global governance to focus on the conditions required for this activity to be effective and legitimate. The analytical part of the project examines how incentives for corporations have changed (and are changing) in respect of their actions in developing countries. A series of empirical studies are used to assess the conditions required to make corporate self-regulation effective. From these case-studies the project draws out prescriptions for firms, governments and multilateral organisations, particularly for how firms and industry associations should design regulatory schemes and how developing country governments and communities might most effectively respond to multinational corporate activity.
Outputs
The project aims to engage a range of stakeholders in discussions at both the analytical and the prescriptive phases of the research. At present a forum in Oxford is being prepared in which senior managers from relevant global corporations will present their view of how the incentives facing corporations have changed and are changing. At a later date a conference will engage leading academics, senior officials of multilateral organizations, and regulators and other stakeholders from developing countries in examining the role of global organizations in securing transparency, monitoring and enforcement of self-regulation. A forthcoming edited volume will present findings of empirical research from a range of approaches - economics, political science, law and management studies -contributing to an understanding of what kinds of self-regulation work best and what this means for developing country governments and civil society wishing to forge new partnerships with global corporations.
A forthcoming edited volume will present findings of empirical research from a range of approaches - economics, political science, law and management studies -contributing to an understanding of what kinds of self-regulation work best and what this means for developing country governments and civil society wishing to forge new partnerships with global corporations.