All Items on the topics Globalisation & Capability building

Friend or Foe? Leveraging Foreign Multinationals in the Australian Economy (Research)
Jan 2002 | Professor John Houghton, Victoria University; Dr Lyndal Thorburn, Innovation Dynamics Pty Ltd
To what degree do multinationals influence, either positively or negatively, the growth, capacity and skills of Australian firms? This study found that multinationals are more friend than foe but that the relationship is fragile and firms and policy makers need to be smarter about engaging with them to maximise the benefits of access to global knowledge, skills and markets.
By being demanding customers, multinationals contribute to better quality products and services which are more sought after in global markets. If firms and policy makers can encourage multinationals to set down deeper roots in research, innovation and product development here, Australian firms can continue to capitalise on skills and knowledge transfer for their own gain, and this investment will act as a magnet for further investment to encourage more sustainable relationships with multinational firms.