Multinational Firms

Abstract

Multinational firms (M.F.) have existed for a long time: it is possible to trace them back to the middle of the 19^th century through direct investments made by European firms settling in the United States, through American firms investing in Europe or again through Belgian, French and American units of production transferred in Russia. But it is only in the 60’s that economic analysis really became interested in this particular form of international economic relations. The flow of direct american investments in Europe, and the formation of the European community is at the origin of this new interest. The recording of statistical data aimed at keeping track of foreign firms settling on national territories goes back to that period. It is the case for the French.