ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces public concerns over concentration and oligopolies, before analyzing corporate profits globally and for all sectors. It examines the shares of top 4 and top 3 companies, uncovering the precise extent of global concentration and profit appropriations overall, by sectors and countries of ownership. Key drivers such as investment levels in R&D, capital, and marketing expenditures are analyzed. Classical economic perspectives from Adam Smith, Marx, and Schumpeter illuminate our understanding of global concentration outcomes.
