As multinational corporations (MNCs) expand their global presence, they actively shape the legal and institutional frameworks that govern foreign markets. This book examines the role of foreign firms in changing domestic institutions and shaping rule of law in emerging markets, with a particular focus on intellectual property (IP) protection. Challenging the conventional view that firms primarily rely on external institutions to safeguard their rights in countries with weak rule of law, this book argues that domestic institutions serve as critical arenas where MNCs advocate for stronger laws and enforcement. Through a two-stage framework of commitment and implementation, this book reveals how home governments negotiate IP protections through diplomatic channels at the behest of MNCs, while the firms themselves play a central role in ensuring that these commitments translate into effective enforcement. Drawing on original datasets, survey experiments, and interviews with business executives, lawyers, and policymakers, the book demonstrates how MNCs and their home governments bargain with host governments to strengthen domestic institutions that protect their intangible assets. At a time when global rule-making is shifting from multilateral cooperation towards bilateral negotiations and national-level policymaking, this book offers fresh insights into the evolving interplay of business power, state sovereignty, and global governance.   

Full manuscript available upon request

University-wide winner, 2020 GAPSA-Provost Fellowship Award for Interdisciplinary Innovation

The Teece Award for empirical interdisciplinary dissertation research, UPenn