megacorporation
Economy-sized business entity
A megacorporation is an extremely large, powerful corporation—typically one whose influence rivals or exceeds that of governments.
The term comes from science fiction, especially cyberpunk, where megacorps often control cities, armies, or entire sectors of society: In the game's dystopian future, megacorporations have replaced nation-states.
Outside fiction, it's used critically for real-world corporate giants perceived as having outsized power: Tech megacorporations now shape how billions of people communicate.
One seller, no substitutes
- antitrustAgainst corporate market dominance
- cartelPrice-fixing coalition
- oligopolyFew firms dominate market
- price-fixingCoordinated artificial cost-setting
predatory · trust-busting · regulation · control · hegemony · consolidation · anti-competitive · duopoly
Operating across multiple countries
- transnationalCrossing country lines
- worldwideExtending across Earth
- cross-borderSpanning national boundaries
- outsourcingThird-party task delegation
supply-chain · offshore · globalization · trade · import · export · logistics · sweatshop
Corporation spanning many industries
- subsidiariesCompanies owned by another
- holdingMaintaining physical possession
- umbrellaHandheld rain shelter
- mergerCorporate combination
acquisition · diversified · portfolio · consortium · hierarchy · boardroom · executive · shareholders
Power to affect others
- lobbyingAdvocating to decision-makers
- corporatocracyRule by business interests
- oligarchyRule by few
- policymakingCreating official guidelines
legislation · governance · authority · tycoon · magnate · plutocracy · deregulation · corruption
Dystopian tech-noir fiction
- privatizationState sells public assets
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- corpoCorporate employee, derogatory
- arcologySelf-contained sustainable city structure
monopoly
One seller, no substitutes
- antitrustAgainst corporate market dominance
- cartelPrice-fixing coalition
- oligopolyFew firms dominate market
price-fixing · predatory · trust-busting · regulation · control · hegemony · consolidation · anti-competitive · duopoly · exploitation
multinational
Operating across multiple countries
- transnationalCrossing country lines
- worldwideExtending across Earth
- cross-borderSpanning national boundaries
outsourcing · supply-chain · offshore · globalization · trade · import · export · logistics · sweatshop · manufacturing
conglomerate
Corporation spanning many industries
- subsidiariesCompanies owned by another
- holdingMaintaining physical possession
- umbrellaHandheld rain shelter
merger · acquisition · diversified · portfolio · consortium · hierarchy · boardroom · executive · shareholders · stakeholders
influence
Power to affect others
- lobbyingAdvocating to decision-makers
- corporatocracyRule by business interests
- oligarchyRule by few
policymaking · legislation · governance · authority · tycoon · magnate · plutocracy · deregulation · corruption · cronyism
cyberpunk
Dystopian tech-noir fiction
- privatizationState sells public assets
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- corpoCorporate employee, derogatory
capital
Wealth used for investment
- profitsFinancial surplus after costs
- revenueBusiness income total
- dividendsProfits paid to shareholders
equity · valuation · billionaires · fortune · treasury · shares · assets · IPO · fiscal · cash-flow
megacorporationsmall business
Modest independent commercial venture
family business · sole proprietorship · cottage industry · corner store · neighborhood shop
megacorporationfamily business
Enterprise owned by relatives
local shop · neighborhood business · artisan · craftsperson · sole trader