Early Global Trotters and their Entrepreneurial Employment Practices. A Case Study of the Colonial Hong Kong Government, 1845-1850.

With globalisation becoming an increasingly common phenomenon, almost any firm can now be called a multinational enterprise (MNEs). However, the truly entrepreneurial ones are the early movers, those who make the move before the latecomers crowding out the market. These enterprises adapt to an environment that is unknown to them, often facing serious resources and manpower constraints, but overcoming these barriers by undertaking serious learning of the market as well as the people, and improvise and bricolage wherever they go. It is such entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to adapt and learn that enables some to make a handsome profit, before the entries of the latecomers squeezing out the margins. However, questions have often been asked of their ethicality with the conducts of many being classified as exploitative. This is particularly in the internal context, where MNEs are often reluctant to employ host country nations at important positions, and treat their host and parent countries employees differently. This led to many accusing the MNEs being ignorance, arrogant, or even racist. However, is the differences in wages really evident, and, if so, are there likely to be any reasonable justification?