Introduction

This chapter discusses the issue of the public mission of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) but the overall role of the state in the economy. It presents the notion of Gemeinwirtschaftslehre, almost impossible to translate from German to English. The chapter provides an overview of different concepts of Gemeinwirtschaft and the political and economic ideas that underlie it from a historical perspective. It also discusses the Przemyslaw Kowalski presents a discussion of the recent international expansion of SOEs and associated policy concerns that have important implications for the design and management of legitimate internationally active SOEs. The explores the SOEs’ multifaceted nature and ability to operate across different spheres of society, from business to institutions, in domestic and global markets, and to reconcile a broad range of interests. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.