Hymer and the theory of the MNE: A commentary by Niels Noorderhaven

Abstract The discussion of the economic theory of the multinational enterprise (MNE) in Pitelis and Piteli (2024) illuminates how different strands of thought have been developed and built upon one another. In this commentary, I focus on two aspects that remain in the shadows in Pitelis and Piteli (2024): the nature of the “international” dimension in the theory of the MNE and the social embeddedness of the MNE. More attention to these two interrelated aspects is necessary for developing a satisfactory theory of the MNE.