Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

acceptedVersion

Publication Date

3-2026

Abstract

In their inaugural editorial, Van Assche and De Marchi (2024) argued that meaningful progress in international business policy requires a more fine-grained understanding of how private international business practices intersect with public policy objectives. This editorial builds on that insight by applying it to a critical yet still underexplored issue – one on which we hope to see more research in this journal: the role of multinational enterprises (MNEs) and global value chains (GVCs) in shaping economic inequality within developing economies. Decisions related to sourcing, contracting, and GVC governance are inherently distributional rather than neutral, with important implications for how gains from globalization are allocated across firms, regions, and social groups (Rygh, 2019). These distributional implications, whether stemming from deliberate strategic decisions or from the cumulative effects of routine business practices, remain insufficiently theorized and are only partially reflected in policy debates, despite their growing relevance for the design of international business policies aimed at inclusive and sustainable development.

Discipline

International Business | Strategic Management Policy

Research Areas

Strategy and Organisation

Publication

Journal of International Business Policy

ISSN

2522-0691

Publisher

Palgrave Macmillan

Embargo Period

4-1-2026

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

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