The Impact of multinational companies
A case study of the energy industry in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Contents

1. Introduction 4 1.1. Rationale of the Research 6 1.2. Aims & Objectives of the Research 7 1.3. Key Research Questions 7 2. Literature Review 9 3. Research Methodology 13 4. Key Findings & Discussion 13 5. Conclusion 16 6. References 16 7. Appendices 16

1. Introduction
In this era of globalization, there has been a fundamental change in the way international business is being done. Due to the ease of communication and advances in the sophisticated communication systems more and more companies are becoming global and expanding their operations and creating production facilities away from their home countries. This trend has given rise to today’s Multinational Corporations (MNCs) whose role in the international scene is increasing rapidly. With increased international development and cooperation, the MNCs have been able to create such a network that their budgets, organizational structure and influence on the world trade stage rivals many nations [ (UN Conference Proceedings, 2006) ]. With their immense economic power and strong political connections and the fact that globalization is seen as a “Business driving phenomenon”, MNCs are in a strong position to influence the economies of the countries they operate in [ (Nourafchan, 2011) ]. Today, MNCs not only impact the trade and the economy of the nation in which they operate but also impact the social and cultural aspects.
In the world energy market dominated by oil, the role of multinational companies in the oil exploration and supply has been tremendous. As oil became the most important commodity in the energy market, the