Rebalancing power between (civil) society and corporations

By viewing transnational corporations as powerful political actors, this article draws on an area of research in conflict studies, namely nonviolent action (NVA) research, to explore how civil society actors can curtail corporate power to regulate corporations effectively. The concept of power underlying NVA theory is synthesised with the interdependent view of power, an understanding borrowed from social movement theory. How power is perceived has an impact on the preferred routes to change. The developed conceptual framework of power and change is used to analyse two case studies of transnational campaigns directed at corporations. While the Nestlé boycott (1977–1984) disrupted profits and sales growth and led to an international regulation on WHO level, the Play Fair at the Olympics Campaign (2003–2011) only posed a symbolic risk to the reputation of sportswear brands with limited outcomes. The article argues that for more effective corporate accountability, civil society actors need to tackle more than just the company’s legitimacy. Its dependence on other social groups (workers, consumers, citizens etc.) also needs to be considered.