Rapidly growing investment in Southeast Asia poses a major strategic and organizational challenge for European transnational corporations. In addition to establishing and maintaining profitable businesses in these strongly local markets, transnationals now have to integrate their Southeast Asian operations into their global strategies and operations.

Transnational Corporations in Southeast Asia presents an institutional economic approach which describes and explains the local and regional organization of 17 European transnational corporations in Southeast Asian markets in relation to their worldwide organization. Focusing on the period from 1984 to 1991, the book also includes a detailed account of the establishment strategies of these corporations and their major operations in the region.

Professor Jansson utilizes a transaction-cost theory to explain behaviour within the European transnational corporations. Providing researchers, students and business analysts with detailed information on the experience of key transnational corporations in Southeast Asia, this important book also offers an assessment of the effects of marginal activities on multinational corporations in areas far away from their home base.