Foreign investment in the United States has been expanding at a rapid rate during recent years. For a variety of reasons it is probable that such investment will play an increasingly important role in the U.S. economy in the future. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of such foreign ownership on an important aspect of labor relations – specifically, NLRB representation elections. Tests of whether foreign majority ownership is associated with decreased union success are conducted through multiple discriminant and regression analysis of election results. Both analyses control for foreign ownership, right-to-work legislation, industry effects, and size of election unit. The results indicate a moderately inverse association between foreign majority ownership and union success in elections.

The power of MNCs and corresponding pressures, especially from governments and trade unions, for higher levels of accountability has brought into focus the need for more information about MNCs as a basis for policy making at national and international levels. However, the problem of developing accounting standards of disclosure and measurement for MNCs is complex, multidimensional, and dynamic. This paper attempts to clarify some of the issues involved and to identify significant trends. The analysis centers on three fundamental questions: Should there be standards for MNCs? What should be required by the standards? Who should set the standards?