Guardian Article on Adaptation of Multinationals

Globalization: The root of all evil, or bringer of eternal peace and prosperity? It’s obviously neither, and a little bit of both. But whatever your opinion, many aspects of globalization are here to stay and it’s time to figure out how to do things right and get the useful parts of globalization rolling while avoiding the bad.
For example, there’s the famous “golden arches theory of conflict prevention” which states that no two countries, both of which have a McDonalds franchise, have ever warred. It’s not quite true (Israel/Lebanon come to mind), but there’s a lot of truth to it. The presense of McDonalds in a country imples a certain level of economic well being and policital stability, if not a sort-of post modern kinship, but it can hardly be said that McDonalds actually creates peace. Furthermore, multinational oil & gas and mining sectors have managed to push life in Nigeria and other parts of Africa from miserable into an unfathomable hell.
The UK’s Guardian has a watchdog article this week which outlines many multinationals efforts to come clean and look for solutions. Some genuine, some totaly cynical. I strongly belive business can and should be though of as a force for good, but we do need a reality check now and then before we drink too much CSR kool aid.