Application status and its affecting factors of double standard for multinational corporations in Korea

We intended to evaluate the double standard status and to identify factors of determining double standard criteria in multinational corporations of Korea, and specifically those in the occupational health and safety area.

A postal questionnaire had been sent, between August 2002 and September 2002, to multinational corporations in Korea. A double standard company was defined as those who answered in more than one item as adopting a different standard among the five items regarding double standard identification. By comparing double standard companies with equivalent standard companies, determinants for double standards were then identified using logistic regression analysis.

Of multinational corporations, 45.1% had adopted a double standard. Based on the question naire's scale level, the factor of 'characteristic and size of multinational corporation' was found to have the most potent impact on increasing double standard risk. On the variable level, factors of 'number of affiliated companies' and 'existence of an auditing system with the parent company' showed a strong negative impact on double standard risk.

Our study suggests that a distinctive approach is needed to manage the occupational safety and health for multinational corporations. This approach should be focused on the specific level of a corporation, not on a country level.