Spatial Structure and Location of Multi-national Corporations in China—A Case Study of Samsung

The investment of Samsung Electronics in China is divided into three types： production companies, sales companies and R＆D institutions. Based on an analysis of the spatial structure of Samsung＇s three types of investment and parent company, it is put forward that regional bias exists during the operation of a multi-national corporation （MNC） in China, i.e., regional biases of technology, price, sales as well as decision-making. Front office and back ofrice, two terms related closely with the location of modern MNCs, are defined and locational principles of each are studied. It is pointed out that production companies and R＆D institutions belong to back office, while sales company falls into the type of front office. Based on a summarization on the spatial distribution of production companies, sales companies and R＆D institutions, the locational principles of front office and back office are then applied in explaining the location of Samsung＇s operating entities in China. By analyzing the spatial structure and locational principles of Samsung, a typical MNC in China, this paper aims to understand the internal operating mechanism of modern MNCs and then bring assistance to related policies to cope with those problems about MNCs that have attracted growing attention in recent years.

American Multinational Media and the Expansion of American Mass Culture

With the development of globalization and gradual intensification of mutual dependence of the world, "hard power" which includes economic and military strength is no longer the primary consideration for many countries. They tend to pay more attention to the attractiveness of their "soft power",which includes values,life style , ideology and so forth. Just as Joseph S. Ny , the famous professor of Harvard who puts forward the concept of soft power, says ,"only by widespread communication and diffusion can a country reinforces its soft power". This is mass media's function. Since the 1990s, tens of thousands cultural products brought in from America are exported to foreign countries, including popular music, films ,TV programs, magazines, books and so forth. By making advantage of its monopoly position in media circle, the United States pursues cultural hegemonism and expands its popular culture all over the world. This thesis takes a general view of the great advantages of America multi-national media groups and how they push forward the American popular culture all over the world.