Some NGOs assume companies are malign and think any means are justified in opposing them. No company can ignore such attitudes. The question companies and NGOs face is whether we can find the right framework of mutual understanding to overcome the adversarial nature of some of the current debates. There have also been numerous highly publicized developments that have put companies and NGOs at odds. Given the range of the issues involved, it is no wonder some NGOs have turned their fire on the corporate sector.
Globalization remains incomplete.
But its partial development has had consequences that are setting much of the wider context for the relationship between companies and NGOs. It has weakened traditional policymaking structures and limited the power of governments. Individuals feel less in control of their lives. Global companies, by contrast, are perceived to have acquired power - in particular, the power to choose where and when to invest and to apply technology. Globalization has expanded the scale of companies.