Abstract
This perspective paper examines the role of Corporate Military Activities (CMA) within the field of international business, an area that has growing importance amidst escalating global geopolitical tensions. We posit that CMA is a special, acquisition-oriented subtype of Corporate Political Activities (CPA), distinct from the well-known influence-oriented tactics of CPA or constructive-oriented tactics of corporate social responsibility. CMA encompasses actions by multinational enterprises (MNEs) explicitly directed at military-industrial ecosystem to secure military-derived strategic resources for competitive advantage in global contexts. This paper identifies and discusses four key benefits of CMA for MNEs, namely the acquisition and strategic use of security assets, the leadership acquired from military in MNEs, the diffusion of military-driven technological innovations, and business expansion. We also outline the drawbacks of CMA for the MNEs and provide a structured research agenda for further inquiry, contributing to a deeper understanding of how firms can effectively integrate CMA into their strategies in a rapidly changing global environment.