megacorporations
Massive business empires
Megacorporations are enormous business entities wielding economic and political power that rivals or exceeds that of governments.
The term comes from science fiction, particularly cyberpunk, where such corporations control vast sectors of society, operate private armies, and answer to no one: In the game's dystopian future, megacorporations have replaced nation-states.
The word now appears in criticism of real-world corporate consolidation, usually with dystopian overtones.
Dystopian tech-noir fiction
- privatizationState sells public assets
- corporatocracyRule by business interests
- indenturedContracted to serve
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
Tyrell · dystopia · sci-fi · corpo · future · totalitarian · branded · commodification
Against corporate market dominance
- dominanceSuperior influence over others
- oligopolyFew firms dominate market
- price-fixingCoordinated artificial cost-setting
- regulationOfficial rules governing conduct
trust-busting · exploitation · collusion · divestiture · breakup · cartel · hegemony · concentration
Operating across multiple countries
- transnationalCrossing country lines
- worldwideExtending across Earth
- internationalConcerning relations among countries
- globalizationWorldwide economic and cultural integration
expansion · markets · outsourcing · offshoring · supply-chain · cross-border · headquarters · localization
Companies owned by another
- mergersCorporate consolidations
- acquisitionsThings newly gained
- holdingsProperty one owns
- umbrellaHandheld rain shelter
portfolio · diversification · consortium · synergy · enterprise · consolidation · takeover · spinoff
All available workers
- wagesPayment for work
- unionsCombinations or confederations
- strikesRefusals to work collectively
- exploitationSelfish use of others
sweatshops · contractors · layoffs · automation · downsizing · benefits · pension · overtime
Advocating to decision-makers
- think-tanksExpert advisory organizations
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
- deregulationRemoving governmental business restrictions
- subsidiesFinancial aid from government
corruption · cronyism · astroturfing · public-relations · spin · greenwashing · PACs · access
Major tech stock group
- platformRaised flat structure
- algorithmsFinite instruction sequences
- AISimulated cognitive processing
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
disruption · innovation · patents · R&D · proprietary · monetization · IPO · scalability
cyberpunk
Dystopian tech-noir fiction
- privatizationState sells public assets
- corporatocracyRule by business interests
- indenturedContracted to serve
Tyrell · surveillance · dystopia · sci-fi · corpo · future · totalitarian · branded · commodification · dehumanization
antitrust
Against corporate market dominance
- dominanceSuperior influence over others
- oligopolyFew firms dominate market
- price-fixingCoordinated artificial cost-setting
regulation · trust-busting · exploitation · collusion · divestiture · breakup · cartel · hegemony · concentration · anti-competitive
multinational
Operating across multiple countries
- transnationalCrossing country lines
- worldwideExtending across Earth
- internationalConcerning relations among countries
globalization · expansion · markets · outsourcing · offshoring · supply-chain · cross-border · headquarters · localization · expatriates
subsidiaries
Companies owned by another
- mergersCorporate consolidations
- acquisitionsThings newly gained
- holdingsProperty one owns
umbrella · portfolio · diversification · consortium · synergy · enterprise · consolidation · takeover · spinoff · flagship
workforce
All available workers
exploitation · sweatshops · contractors · layoffs · automation · downsizing · benefits · pension · overtime · whistleblowers
lobbying
Advocating to decision-makers
- think-tanksExpert advisory organizations
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
- deregulationRemoving governmental business restrictions
subsidies · corruption · cronyism · astroturfing · public-relations · spin · greenwashing · PACs · access · power-brokers
FAANG
Major tech stock group
- platformRaised flat structure
- algorithmsFinite instruction sequences
- AISimulated cognitive processing
ecosystem · disruption · innovation · patents · R&D · proprietary · monetization · IPO · scalability · infrastructure
- cyberpunkcyberspace, chrome, cyberware, implant, augmentation
- capitalism critiqueanti-capitalism, wealth inequality, income inequality, wealth gap, income gap
- 80s sci-fiBlade Runner, E.T., The Terminator, Back to the Future, Aliens
megacorporationssmall businesses
Independently owned, limited-scale companies
microenterprises · sole proprietorships · family businesses · local businesses · cottage industries
megacorporationsworker cooperatives
Collectively owned democratic businesses
collectives · credit unions · grassroots organizations · kibbutzim