Going Digital Multinationals: Navigating Economic and Social Imperatives in a Post-pandemic World

Niraja Srinivasan and Lorraine Eden
Publication Date: 
June 1st, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the economic imperative facing multinational corporations (MNCs); i.e., their need to build commercial resilience in response to Industry 4.0 (4IR). This article examines if “going digital” MNCs that are making substantial investments in 4IR technologies could take a socially proactive stance that would rebuild momentum on the United Nations social imperative—the pledge to leave no one behind by achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This paper explores the possible positive social impacts of MNCs digitalization initiatives, both directly through their corporate social responsibility activities and indirectly through their global value and supply chains.

This piece originally appeared as Niraja Srinivasan and Lorraine Eden, “Going Digital Multinationals: Navigating Economic and Social Imperatives in a Post-Pandemic World,” Journal of International Business Policy, 4 (2021), pp. 228–243. Copyright remains with the original holder.