Big business and small states
Unilever and Norway in the interwar years1
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3535176 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Pål Thonstad Sandvik (NTNU Samfunnsforskning), Espen Storli |
| Year | 2013 |
| Volume | 66 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 109-131 |
| Publication date | 2013-02-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Economic History Review (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0013-0117 • E-ISSN: 1468-0289 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/j.1468-0289.2012.00660.x |
| OpenAlex | W2138303309 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
| References cited | 15 |
In 1930, Unilever tried to take control of Lilleborg, Norway's most important producer of soap and vegetable oil, with the aim of wiping out most of Norway's independent margarine and soap industry. However, as the purchase was dependent on government concession, Unilever became embroiled in a power struggle with the Norwegian political authorities. The company was strongly criticized by Norwegian nationalists. The question of whether or not to let Unilever go forward became one of the most contested questions in Norwegian politics in the period. In the end, Unilever was allowed to go ahead with the purchase, but in return the company was forced to make substantial concessions. Expanding on Jones's framework for understanding the balance of power between multinationals and host governments, in this article it is argued that we must look beyond firm specific assets and a cost-benefit oriented analysis of the relationship between multinationals and host countries to understand the end result. In this case, nationalism had a decisive impact. Unilever's acquisition of Lilleborg and the Norwegian response thus contributes to our understanding of the nature of multinational enterprise in the interwar period and of the political economy of foreign direct investment in general
Business · Economic history · Economics · Economy · Foreign direct investment · Government (linguistics) · Investment (military) · Market economy · Multinational corporation · Norwegian · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Power (physics) · European and International Law Studies · European Union Policy and Governance · Finance · International Business and FDI · Law
Catalysing Socio-Ecological Change
Standard Oil og monopolkapitalismens inntog i Norge, 1890–1935
The quest for a non-competitive market
Dealing with globalisation
Business history special issue on foreign investment and the development of entrepreneurial and managerial capabilities in host economies
Multinational business and host countries in times of crisis
Industry and ideology
Nation-States and the Multinational Corporation
Global Political Economy
Confronting market power
Multinational Enterprise and Government Controls on Outward Foreign Direct Investment in the United States and the United Kingdom in the 1960s
The United Kingdom and the political economy of the global oils and fats business during the 1930s
Capital Mobility and State Autonomy
Governments, Industries and Markets
Multinational Enterprise in Historical Perspective
| Unique citing works | 6 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,6 |
| Citation span | 2016 - 2022 (7) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 5 |