The significant role of multinational corporations (MNCs) in the international political economy necessitates innovative ways to study their activities and relationships with states. This study, therefore, analyses the foreign policy of the South African government in Africa during President Thabo Mbeki’s administration – 1999 to 2008 – juxtaposed with the corporate diplomatic strategies of selected retail MNCs. The MNCs – Shoprite Holdings Limited, Massmart Holdings Limited, Woolworths Holdings Limited and Pick n Pay Holdings Limited – are treated as actors. The study uncovers the nature and extent of coalescences and divergences of strategies between the government and the MNCs. It also finds divergences between government’s policy pronouncements and interests. For example, the government’s plan to craft a code of good business practice is found to be in conflicts with its support for multilateralism. The study lays the basis for a new model to study diplomatic strategies of firms and governments. / Political Sciences / M.A. (International Politics)

The significant role of multinational corporations (MNCs) in the international political economy necessitates innovative ways to study their activities and relationships with states. This study, therefore, analyses the foreign policy of the South African government in Africa during President Thabo Mbeki’s administration – 1999 to 2008 juxtaposed with the corporate diplomatic strategies of selected retail MNCs. The MNCs – Shoprite Holdings Limited, Massmart Holdings Limited, Woolworths Holdings Limited and Pick n Pay Holdings Limited – are treated as actors. The study uncovers the nature and extent of coalescences and divergences of strategies between the government and the MNCs. It also finds divergences between government’s policy pronouncements and interests. For example, the government’s plan to craft a code of good business practice is found to be in conflicts with its support for multilateralism. The study lays the basis for a new model to study diplomatic strategies of firms and governments. / Political Sciences / M. A. (International Politics)

本研究以網際網路做為企業行銷溝通之互動性媒介為觀點，以內容分析法進行兩部分之研究。第一部份以分析跨國運動商品企業網站首頁為題；第二部分則測度傳播策略呈現在跨文化運動商品網頁中的標準化程度，以期對跨國運動商品企業建置各國家地區網站與網頁之現況有一概括性的瞭解。 第一部份將運動商品企業網站首頁劃分為「內容」與「設計」兩項架構，分析12家跨國運動商品企業在美國、中國與台灣共計33個首頁樣本，發現中國與台灣併計為大中華地區所列載之內容項目與功能設計，與美國運動商品網站首頁之差異不大；但在線上購物機制上則仍未有成熟的環境與建置，此結果可呼應於其他跨文化行銷傳播研究的相關論述。 第二部分研究植基於傳統廣告內容的分析技術，變項涵括：「資訊內容」、「文化價值」與「創意策略」等三面向，檢測跨國運動商品企業設置於美國、中國與台灣地區共計211個網頁樣本。結果發現運動商品網頁確實是涉入度高、資訊承載量大的互動性媒體，偏向使用「獨立性文化價值」以傳達個體性而非集體性的文化概念。然而大中華區在廣告運用與網路媒體的開放性，複雜紛呈的文化價值表現，亦造成運動商品網頁的跨文化差異化。創意策略則使用商品的論點與細節，結合象徵性聯想與品牌熟悉度的方式，同時傳達品牌名稱、商標符號與名人代言的情境，以行銷每一季推陳出新的運動商品。 / This study regards the Internet as an interactive medium of corporate marketing communication, engages in two parts of studies by content analysis method. The first part analyzes sports-commodity multinational corporations’ home pages; the second part evaluates the degree of standardizations’ online communication strategies across differing cultures. And to comprehend summarized about how the sports-commodity MNCs set up regional websites. Divides into two frames of “content” and “design” categories, the first part analyzes 33 home-page samples in 12 sports-commodity MNCs among USA, China, and Taiwan. So that sports-commodity home pages’ content items and design functions have no remarkable difference. But the systems of online shopping environment are not mature in China and Taiwan. The result is coherent with past cross-cultural studies that compared marketing communications. On the basis of traditional advertising content study techniques, three explanatory variables are conducted, i.e. “information content”, “culture value” and “creative strategies”. Examining the 211 web-page samples in sports-commodity MNCs among USA, China, and Taiwan, the finding suggests that the high involvement nature of interactive medium is closely related to the informative web pages. And the predominant usage of “independent culture value” conveys individualism but collectivism cultural concepts. However, the liberalization of the Internet media and advertising usage; representation of complicated culture values, are the reasons to cause the cross-cultural diversity between localized sports-commodity MNCs’ web pages. To weed through the old to bring forth the new sports commodity every season, the MNCs have adapted their web creative strategies by products’ arguments and specifics, and integrating symbolic association and brand familiarization, with context of brand name, trademark and celebrity endorsers.

Avec la globalisation de l’économie, l’entreprise traditionnelle est devenue un réseau global de producteurs liés par des contrats. À la suite de certains abus commis par les entreprises multinationales, notamment en ce qui concerne les droits fondamentaux des travailleurs, les entreprises et la société civile ont développé des mécanismes de régulation privés dont les codes de conduite privés. La présente étude cherche à déterminer quels pouvaient être les véritables destinataires des codes de conduite : les travailleurs du pays d’origine de l’entreprise (généralement situés dans un pays développé) ou les travailleurs des pays de production (généralement situés dans des pays en développement). À cette fin, le mémoire compare le contenu des codes de conduite de Nike, de Gap et de Levi-Strauss sur ce sujet avec les observations de l’Organisation internationale du travail pour les travailleurs des États-Unis, de l’Inde et du Bangladesh. Certains écarts entre les protections accordées par les codes et les besoins des travailleurs sont ainsi identifiés. Dans la dernière partie du mémoire, la question d’étude est élargie afin d’examiner si les codes ne seraient pas destinés à des personnes autres que les travailleurs, soient les consommateurs, les actionnaires ou l’entreprise elle-même. / The globalised economy has transformed the traditional corporation into a worldwide network of producers connected by contracts. In light of certain abuses committed by multinational corporations, corporations and civil society have developed regulatory mechanisms including private codes of conduct. The purpose of this study is to determine for which workers the codes of conduct were developed: the workers of the country of origin of the corporation (generally located in developed countries) or the workers of the countries of production (generally located in developing countries). By comparing the content of the codes of conduct of Nike, Gap and Levi-Strauss regarding freedom of association with the observations of the International Labour Organisation for the United-States, India and Bangladesh, we identified a certain number of gaps between the content of the codes and the needs of the workers. In the last part of the study, we widened our research question to determine whether or not the codes might be destined to people other than the workers, namely consumers, shareholders or the corporation itself.

Dans le cadre de ce mémoire, nous nous penchons sur les relations du travail (RT) dans les entreprises multinationales (EMs) ayant des opérations au Canada. Notre question de recherche est la suivante: « Le pays d’origine d’une entreprise multinationale a-t-il un impact sur les pratiques de relations du travail dans ses opérations canadiennes? » Deux thèses principales ont été élaborées afin d’expliquer les choix des EMs dans l’adoption et l’implantation de pratiques. La première thèse, celle de la diversité, tient pour acquis que plusieurs déterminants endogènes et exogènes à l’EM influencent ses pratiques (Mcgraw et Harley, 2003). Tant les caractéristiques du pays hôte que celles du pays d’origine influenceraient les choix de pratiques des EMs contribuant ainsi à leur diversité (Almond et al., 2005). Par exemple, certains chercheurs avancent que les EMs sont littéralement imprégnées des caractéristiques provenant du pays qui les a vues naître, qu’elles feraient littéralement partie de leur ADN affectant ainsi les pratiques qu’elles mettent en place dans leurs filiales à l’étranger (Berger, 2006). Par ailleurs, la thèse de la convergence soutient que les EMs auraient tendance à utiliser les mêmes pratiques en cette ère de mondialisation et d’hégémonie économique américaine (Mcgraw et Harley, 2003). Les tenants de cette thèse croient plutôt à une convergence des pratiques à travers les EMs en raison notamment de la vaste diffusion du modèle anglo-saxon de gestion, de l’approche des best pratices et du one best way (Mcgraw et Harley, 2003; Royle, 2006). Convergence ou divergence des pratiques? Le débat demeure entier dans la littérature. Outre sa contribution à ce débat, notre recherche permet d’en apprendre davantage sur le comportement des EMs étrangères au Canada, mais aussi d’examiner les spécificités des EMs canadiennes. Le modèle conceptuel développé par ce mémoire se base sur la thèse de la diversité en examinant plus particulièrement l’effet du pays d’origine. Selon la littérature, plusieurs variables influencent les pratiques des EMs, soit le pays d’origine (Almond et al., 2005; Kvinge et Ulrichsen, 2008; Marginson, 2008; Edwards et Ferner, 2002; Collings, 2003; Ferner, 1997, Moore et Rees, 2008; etc.) et les caractéristiques propres à l’EM (Bartlett et Ghosal, 1998; Kidger, 2002; Perlmutter, 1969; Edwards, 2003). Aux fins de notre recherche, notre variable dépendante, les pratiques de RT, comporte cinq dimensions, soit la reconnaissance syndicale des nouveaux établissements, la politique d’implication du syndicat, la perception à l’égard des représentants syndicaux, la structure de la négociation collective et l’autonomie de la filiale dans l’élaboration de politiques en matière de RT (Bélanger et al., 2006). L’hypothèse principale de notre recherche est : le pays d’origine d’une EM a un impact sur le choix des pratiques de RT dans ses opérations canadiennes. Cinq sous-hypothèses, touchant cinq dimensions du concept de RT, ont été testées : 1) les EMs américaines reconnaissent moins souvent le syndicat dans leurs nouveaux établissements que les EMs d’autres pays; 2) les EMs américaines ont une moins bonne perception patronale du syndicat que celles provenant d’autres pays; 3) les négociations collectives sont plus décentralisées dans les EMs américaines que dans celles d’autres pays; 4) les EMs américaines impliquent moins les syndicats dans la prise de décision que celles provenant d’autres pays; 5) l’autonomie dans l’élaboration de politiques concernant la représentation syndicale est plus faible dans les EMs américaines que dans les EMs d’autres pays. Sur le plan méthodologique, cette étude utilise des données secondaires provenant de l’Enquête sur la gestion des ressources humaines, les politiques publiques et la chaîne de valeur mondiale menée par Bélanger, Harvey, Jalette, Lévesque et Murray (2006). Nous étudions un sous-échantillon de la base de données, soit une centaine d’EMs dont les employés sont syndiqués. Les résultats indiquent que les opérations canadiennes des EMs canadiennes se différencient de celles des EMs américaines par une meilleure perception patronale des syndicats et une plus grande implication syndicale. De plus, les EMs européennes reconnaissent plus le syndicat dans leurs nouveaux établissements, perçoivent davantage de la collaboration de la part du syndicat et octroient une plus grande autonomie en matière de RT à leurs opérations canadiennes que les EMs américaines. Enfin, les opérations canadiennes des EMs du reste du monde se distinguent de celles des EMs américaines par une meilleure perception patronale de collaboration de la part du syndicat. / The purpose of this research is to study labour relations in multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in Canada. Our research question is : “Does the country of origin of an MNC have an impact on the labour relations practices in its Canadian operations? ». Two main theses are put forward in the literature in order to explain the choices of MNCs in the adoption and the establishment of practices. The first one is the diversity thesis, which takes for granted that several endogenous and exogenous determinants of the MNC influence its practices (Mcgraw and Harley, 2003). The characteristics of the host country as well as those of the country of origin influence the choices of practices of MNCs, which are contributing to their diversity (Almond and al., 2005). For example, some researchers explain that MNCs are literally impregnated with characteristics coming from the country from which they originated, that it would be literally part of their DNA affecting the practices that they set up in their abroad subsidiaries (Shepherd, 2006). At the opposite, the convergence thesis asserts that MNCs tend all to use the same practices because of globalisation and American economic hegemony (Mcgraw and Harley, 2003). The supporters of this thesis believe in a convergence of the practices through MNCs because of the vast diffusion of the Anglo-Saxon model of management, the best practices and the one best way approaches (Mcgraw and Harley, 2003; Royle, 2006). Is there a convergence or a diversity of the practices? The debate remains strong in the literature. In addition to contributing to this debate, our research further explores the behaviour of foreign MNCs in Canada, and the particularities of Canadian MNCs. The conceptual model developed here is based on the diversity thesis, more specifically the effect of the country of origin. According to the literature, several variables influence the practices of MNCs: the country of origin (Almond and al., 2005; Kvinge and Ulrichsen, 2008; Marginson, 2008; Edwards and Ferner, 2002; Collings, 2003; Ferner, 1997, Moore and Rees, 2008; etc) and the characteristics specific to the MNCs (Bartlett and Ghosal, 1998; Kidger, 2002; Perlmutter, 1969; Edwards, 2003). In this research, the dependent variable, the labour relations practices, has five dimensions: union recognition in the new establishments, the trade union implication policy, management perception of the trade union representatives, the collective bargaining structure and the autonomy of the subsidiary in the development of labour relations policies (Bélanger and al., 2006). The principal assumption of our research is: the country of origin of a MNC has an impact on the choice of the practices of labour relations in its Canadian operations. Five sub-assumptions, corresponding to the dimensions of the concept of labour relations, were tested: 1) American MNCs less often recognize trade unions in their new establishments than MNCs of other countries; 2) American MNCs have a worse managerial perception of the trade union than those coming from other countries; 3) Collective bargaining is more decentralized in American MNCs than in those of other countries; 4) American MNCs are less likely to include trade unions in their decision-making than those coming from other countries; 5) There is less autonomy in the development of policies concerning trade union representation in American MNCs than in MNCs from other countries. The methodology of this study uses secondary data coming from the Survey on Employment Practices, Public Policy and the Global Value Chain carried out by Bélanger, Harvey, Jalette, Lévesque and Murray (2006). We study a subsample of the data base, composed of one hundred MNCs whose employees are unionised. The results show that Canadian operations of Canadian MNCs differ from those of American MNCs. Canadian MNCs have a better perception of the unions and involve more unions in decision-making. European MNCs are more likely to recognize trade unions in new establishments, perceive greater union collaboration and grant greater autonomy regarding labour relations to their Canadian operations, as compared to American MNCs. The Canadian operations of MNCs of the rest of the world are distinguished from American MNCs by a stronger perception of union collaboration.

Cette thèse tente de comprendre l’impact des restructurations des entreprises multinationales sur les stratégies syndicales. Les acteurs syndicaux locaux sont-ils déterminés par l’appartenance à des régimes nationaux et à des contingences organisationnelles ou peuvent-ils influencer des décisions objectives comme les restructurations ? Cette recherche s’insère dans une problématique large qui fait la jonction entre la mondialisation économique sur une base continentale, la réorganisation productive des entreprises multinationales et l’action syndicale. Au plan théorique, nous confrontons trois grandes approches analytiques, à savoir : le néo-institutionnalisme et les structures d’opportunités ; l’économie politique critique et la question du pouvoir syndical ; la géographie économique critique mettant de l’avant les contingences, l’encastrement et l’espace concurrentiel. Sur la base de ces trois familles, nous présentons un modèle d’analyse multidisciplinaire. Au plan méthodologique, cette thèse est structurée autour de quatre études de cas locales qui ont subi des menaces de restructurations. Cette collecte a été effectuée dans deux pays (la France et le Canada) et dans un secteur particulier (les équipementiers automobiles). Trois sources qualitatives forment le cœur empirique de cette thèse : des statistiques descriptives, des documents de sources secondaires et des entretiens semi-dirigés (44), principalement avec des acteurs syndicaux. L’analyse intra et inter régime national éclaire plusieurs aspects de la question des stratégies syndicales en contexte de restructurations. Les principales contributions de cette thèse touchent : 1. l’impact des facteurs relationnels et des ressources de pouvoir développées par les syndicats locaux sur les structures d’opportunités institutionnelles; 2. l’importance des aspects « cognitifs » et d’envisager le pouvoir de manière multi-niveaux; 3. l’importance de l’encastrement social et des dynamiques relationnelles entre syndicats et patronats; 4. l’influence de la concurrence internationale/nationale/régionale/locale dans le secteur des équipementiers automobiles; et 5. l’importance des arbitrages et des relations entre les acteurs de l’entreprise par rapport à la théorie de la contingence pour comprendre les marges structurelles des syndicats locaux. Notre recherche invite les acteurs sociaux à repenser leur action dans le cadre des restructurations. En particulier, les syndicats locaux se doivent d’explorer de nouveaux répertoires stratégiques pour répondre aux nombreux défis que posent le changement économique et les restructurations. / This thesis examines the impacts of the restructuring of multinational enterprises on trade union strategies. Are local union strategies an outcome of national institutional embeddedness and organizational contingencies, or can unions in fact influence core elements of corporate decision-making vis-à-vis restructuring? This research speaks to major scholarly debates concerning economic globalization, corporate restructuring, and union organization. In terms of theory, this thesis addresses three large analytical approaches, these being: neo-institutionalism and opportunity structures; critical political economy and the question of union power; and critical economic geography in relation to contingencies, embeddedness, and competition across borders. Drawing from these three theories, this research proposes a new multidisciplinary model of analysis for research on union strategies. In terms of methodology, this thesis is structured around four case studies of local unions in two countries (Canada and France) and a specific sector (automobile equipment manufacturers). Three qualitative sources are at the heart of this thesis: descriptive statistics, documentation from secondary sources, and semi-structured interviews (44), primarily focused union actors. This thesis analyzes union strategies within and across jurisdictions to elucidate their ramifications for firms and workers, particularly in the context of restructuring. The principal contributions of this thesis touch on: 1. the impacts of power resources developed by local unions on institutional opportunity structures; 2. the importance of cognitive aspects of strategy and its implications for power in a multi-level context; and 3. the importance of social embeddedness and social relations between unions and employers; 4. the omnipresence of international/national/regional/local competition in the automobile equipment manufacturing sector; and 5. the importance of trade-offs and relationships between business players from the vantage point of contingency theory to understand the structural facets of local union action. This research invites social actors to rethink their strategies concerning corporate restructuring. In particular, local unions should explore new strategic repertoires of action for responding the new challenges pertaining to economic change and restructuring.

Le terme de « prix de transfert » désigne le prix des transactions conclues entre les filiales d’une même entreprise multinationale. La thèse traite, sous un angle essentiellement normatif, de la problématique de réglementation de ces prix, c'est-à-dire de la détermination du mode de partage optimal du profit d’un groupe entre ses filiales. La thèse s’attache tout d’abord à montrer l’effet de la réglementation des prix de transfert sur les décisions de production et d’investissement des entreprises, puis sur le bien-être mondial. Sur la base des résultats obtenus, les objectifs qu’un dictateur bienveillant international devrait assigner à ce type de réglementation sont ensuite établis. Ce double travail permet de tracer le contour d’un projet de réglementation optimale, fondé sur le concept d’équité inter-nations, et dont l’application conduirait à attribuer à chaque filiale sa valeur de Shapley dans un jeu préalablement défini. La thèse éclaire également le débat contemporain en proposant un protocole permettant de comparer le principe de pleine concurrence avec la méthode d’allocation forfaitaire. / The prices of the transactions set between subsidiaries of a multinational corporation are usually called « transfer prices ». The dissertation deals with the normative questions raised by the regulation of such prices, particularly the optimal way of distributing the profit of a multinational between its subsidiaries. The dissertation first shows how the transfer prices regulation can influence corporate production and investment decisions, thereby impacting worldwide welfare. Based upon these results, the objectives that an international benevolent dictator would pursue through such a regulation are then identified. This program allows for the sketching of an optimal transfer prices regulation, which relies strongly upon the inter-nation equity concept, and which application would grant each subsidiary its Shapley value in a certain game. The dissertation also makes a contribution to the current debate by proposing a protocol to compare the arm’s length principle with the formulary apportionment method.

近年來各國跨國企業利用對外投資控股架構設計進行租稅規劃，複雜的跨國結構安排導致各國稅基嚴重被侵蝕，引起各界關注，故了解跨國公司如何規劃其投資控股架構有其必要性。基於國內尚未有實證文獻探究國際租稅規劃對我國跨國公司投資控股架構決策之影響，因此本文針對2010年至2014年台灣上市櫃公司之海外關係企業目前投資控股架構進行研究，以了解我國對外投資的投資控股架構設計概況。此外，本文進一步探究跨國公司為了進行國際租稅規劃，不同租稅屬性的上下層公司是否確實會有相對應租稅特性之公司搭配形成控股連結。 本文建構兩個迴歸模型，採用Tobit模型進行實證分析。模型一分析基本租稅因素對於跨國控股連結之影響，實證結果顯示跨國控股連結設計會受到租稅協定、上下層公司所在國稅率差距影響。而模型二檢視國家組合間之租稅搭配相關變數對跨國控股連結的影響。結果顯示，上下層公司所在國的租稅環境確實會影響與其形成控股連結之所在國家的區位選擇。 / In the recent years, multinational corporations using the design of investment holding structure to do the tax planning. The complicated investment holding structure result in the tax base being damaged, and it draws the attentions of all walks of life. Therefore, there’s necessity to understand how the multinational corporations plan their investment holding structure. Due to the fact that there’s no literature which research the influence of international tax planning to our country’s multinational corporation investment holding structure decision have been proved. In order to understand how Taiwan’s multinational corporations plan their investment holding structure, we do the research against the investment holding structure of Taiwan’s listed companies from 2010 to 2014. Besides, we do the research more advanced on the international tax planning to see whether there will be companies with corresponded different tax characteristic that form an ownership links with the upper and lower companies of different tax characteristic. In this paper, we constructed two regression models, the Tobit random effect model is used to do the empirical analysis. The Model 1 analyzes the relation between the basic tax variable and the cross-border ownership links. The results indicate that the design of cross-border ownership links will be affected by tax treaty and the difference of tax rate between the upper and the lower countries. And the Model 2 examines the relation between tax collocation of country pair variables and cross-border ownership links. We found out that the tax environment where the upper and lower companies are located has truly affect the location choice of the country which the ownership link is linked to.

Ce travail doctoral porte sur l'accroissement des investissements directs à l'étranger dans les pays développés par les entreprises des marchés émergents (EMEs) et leur besoin à attirer et retenir les salariés de talents à l'Ouest. Au moyen de deux enquêtes distinctes nous abordons cette question avec trois études différentes mais complémentaires. La première étude se réfère à la théorie de « organization attractiveness » : Les EMEs ont-elles un handicap d'« emergingness » qui réduit leur attractivité en tant qu'employeur ? Dans le deuxième essai, nous nous appuyons de recherche relatif au « capital psychologique » : Les salariés ayant des niveaux plus élevés de capital psychologique sont-ils moins touchés par le handicap d'« emergingness » ? En utilisant la méthode du « policy capturing » le troisième essai répond à la question : Le handicap d'« emergingness » des EMEs a-t-il un impact sur la décision des salariés de talents de quitter leur emploi après une acquisition? Les résultats suggèrent que les EMEs ont une attractivité organisationnelle significativement plus faible que les entreprises des marchés développés et que les salariés ayant des niveaux plus élevés de capital psychologique sont plus attirés par des sociétés multinationales, et cela quel soit leur origine et que les EMEs subiront une perte de personnel post- acquisition plus élevée. Cette recherche met en évidence l'impact négatif du handicap d'« emergingness » rencontré par les EMEs sur les marchés occidentaux. Notre recherche suggère que les gestionnaires des EMEs devraient prendre en compte ce handicap en se concentrant sur les individus ayant des niveaux élevés de capital psychologique. / This doctoral research focuses on emerging market multinational corporations' (EMNCs) increasing outward foreign direct investment into developed countries and their need to attract and/or retain key Western talent. Using two separate surveys we address this lacuna with three research studies. The first essay uses theory from the organization attractiveness literature to answer the research question: Do EMNCs have a liability of emergingness lowering their attractiveness as employers? In the second essay, we draw upon the rising field of psychological capital to address the research question: Are individuals higher in psychological capital less affected by the liability of emergingness bias? Finally, using policy capturing modeled from the merger and acquisition literature stream, the third essay answers the research question: Does EMNC liability of emergingness impact post-acquisition turnover intentions? Findings in the first essay suggest that EMNCs have significantly lower organizational attractiveness than developed market firms. In the second essay, we find individuals higher in psychological capital more attracted to multinational corporations regardless of their origin. The third study suggests that EMNCs will have higher post-acquisition turnover than developed market firms. Theoretically, this research highlights the negative impact of the liability of emergingness faced by EMNCs in Western markets. Our research further suggests that EMNC managers responsible for recruiting and retention should recognize this bias by focusing on individuals with high levels of psychological capital.

O desenvolvimento da tecnologia da informação e das comunicações em todo o mundo propicia condições para que a comunidade internacional possa vir a se relacionar sem enfrentar os obstáculos oferecidos pelas barreiras geográficas ou temporais, bem como possa vir a atuar diretamente na defesa de seus interesses, acrescentando novas formas de disciplina do seu comportamento além dos tradicionais mecanismos normativos oferecidos pelo Estado. O direito fundamental de livre acesso à informação por intermédio da tecnologia digital deve ser garantido em igualdade de condições a todos os indivíduos, na qualidade de participantes da sociedade global, em obediência aos princípios e disposições contidos na Declaração Universal dos Direitos Humanos, bem como da Declaração do Direito do Desenvolvimento e sua atualização na Declaração do Milênio. Ocorre, que, os países em desenvolvimento não participam dos beneficios da evolução tecnológica e por não estarem conectados à rede mundial, estão alijados do processo e excluídos do acesso à informação transmitida por via digital. Os Estados, que originalmente foram considerados os únicos sujeitos de direito na ordem internacional, não se mostram mais aptos a gerir, com eficácia, os interesses da sociedade, tornando-se incapazes de oferecer as condições necessárias para o exercício pleno da cidadania. O presente estudo visa ampliar os limites da discussão acadêmica a respeito dos efeitos produzidos pelo avanço tecnológico e pela globalização transpondo o debate para a ordem jurídica internacional. O exame dos documentos produzidos pela Cúpula Mundial da Sociedade da Informação, organizada pela UIT, por intermédio da ONU, demonstra que os representantes dos países membros, juntamente com a iniciativa privada e a sociedade civil foram capazes de produzir Declarações de Princípios e Planos de Ação contendo regras de utilização da tecnologia da informação e das telecomunicações de forma a eliminar as desigualdades, e criando a possibilidade de que a humanidade possa, finalmente, vir exercer seu direito ao desenvolvimento. Ademais, criação do Fórum de Governança da Internet, como decorrência da Cúpula Mundial da Sociedade da Informação, evidencia que as regras para a utilização da rede mundial dos computadores permanecem sob a responsabilidade da comunidade internacional, restando, portanto, demonstrado que atuação da sociedade civil, através de mecanismos próprios para proteger seus interesses, repercute diretamente na esfera internacional e merece ser levada em consideração no estudo das fontes de Direito Internacional. / The development of information technology and communications all over the world created the ideal conditions for the international community to the improvement of relationship without any of the obstacles caused by geographical or chronological barriers, and turned possible to civil society to act directly in the defense of its own interests, adding new forms of ruling its behaviors besides the traditional legal mechanisms offered by the State. The free and direct access to information in digital format must be guaranteed in equal conditions as a fundamental right to all individuals, in their condition of members of global society, in accordance with the principles and provisions established by the Universal Human Rights Declaration, as well as of the Declaration of the Right to Development, dully amended by the Millennium Declaration. Nevertheless, the developing countries cannot benefit from technological revolution and since they cannot not connect to the Internet they are maintained apart from this process and therefore are prevented to exercise their right of access to information transmitted in digital format. On the other hand, the States that originally were considered the sole subjects of rights in the international order are not capable anymore to efficiently manage the interests of civil society and therefore cannot offer the necessary conditions to the plain exercise of citizenship. This paper intends to wide the limits of the academic discussion already in place analyzing the effects of the technological revolution and globalization enlarging the debate to the level of the international legal order. The exam of the documents produced by World Summit of Information Society, organized by ITU, dully authorized by UN, demonstrates that the representatives of the member States, jointly with the private sector and the civil society, were able to prepare the Declaration of Principles, Plan of Action and other related documents disciplining the use of information technology and communications in order to eliminate the differences and conduct the human beings to the plain exercise to of their right to development. Furthermore, the establishment of the Internet Governance Forum as a consequence of the World Summit of Information Society provides strong evidences that the rules for Internet access shall remain in the hands of Non Governmental Organizations and moreover demonstrates that the utilization by civil society of specific legal mechanisms in order to protect its own interests, may generate important consequences for the international legal order and therefore deserves to be examined as a phenomenon affecting the sources of International Law.