ABSTRACT
TNCs have always been controversial because their global reach makes them difficult for nation-states to regulate or control. Perceptions of TNCs have evolved as international political economy (IPE) has changed over the past fifty years. TNCs have been perceived as agents of capitalist imperialism, tools of U.S. hegemony, and actors engaged in “triangular diplomacy” with states and other TNCs. With the rise of the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) as important economic powers and homes of fast-growing TNCs, new perceptions of TNCs may emerge.
