Megacorporations

Dr. Pedro Sanchez, Krugman Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Excerpts from Lecture Notes for 14.02 (Principles of Macroeconomics), 2149

The Megacorporations, or Megacorps for short, are gigantic companies worth trillions of M-Creds whose operations that span the Known Sphere. These vast interstellar corporate empires employ millions of people, with production, distribution, and retail operations on hundreds of worlds. Every second of every day, billions of people purchase goods and services offered by the Megacorps. Indeed, scores of star systems are totally dependent on them. At any given time, thousands of Megacorp ships are crisscrossing the galaxy’s space lanes. They are the mighty heart of the interstellar economy.

The Megacorps form a potent oligopoly over most commerce in the Known Sphere. As a result, they are sometimes collectively referred to as "the Shadow Superpower" because of the influence they exert as a result of their importance to the interstellar economy, the lifeblood of interstellar civilization. They wield their tremendous economic strength both as a shield to protect their operations, and a sword to force governments into line. A prime example of the latter is the Megacorp Accords, which forbid the use of weapons and tactics of mass destruction.

While no two are identical, Megacorporations do share some common characteristics. Megacorps are so large and influential that they are often beyond the reach of most governments, sometimes even those of the superpowers. Indeed, they are sometimes considered to be nations unto themselves, with their own planets, laws, and private starfleets. Their technology and hardware are generally at least as good as that those of the superpowers, which makes sense since it is the Megacorps who provide the superpowers’ with much of their tech in the first place.

 
The Board of the Megacorporations

Megacorporations "police themselves" through the Megacorp Board, their governing body. Formed in the wake of the Megacorp War, the Board exists to prevent the Megacorps from devastating the galactic economy through excessive competition or cooperation. Each Megacorp sends one representative to the Board, which is led by an independent Commissioner.

The Board decides and amends the Rules of Competition, and adjudicates disputes between the Megacorporations. Additionally, all pan-Megacorp entities, such as the Megacorporation Intelligence Bureau, the Bank of the Megacorporations, and the Megacorp University System (of which the Megacorp Military Academy is a part), fall under the Board’s jurisdiction, specifically the Office of the Commissioner.

 
The Commissioner

The Commissioner of the Board of Megacorporations is the Board’s leader. She has a powerful and high-profile office: she sets the agenda of each Board meeting, and wields absolute line item veto power. The Commissioner also commands powerful ministries such as the Megacorp Intelligence Bureau, and she is the public face of the Megacorps, speaking for them vis-à-vis the leaders of the superpowers and other entities.

The Commissioner has a complex relationship with those that she governs. Since the position was born from a political compromise following the Megacorp War, the Commissioner represents the greater economic interests of the Known Sphere rather than the interests of the Megacorps. Charged with making sure the Megacorps behave properly, she is part watchdog, part bloodhound, part pitbull. She must be "independent": she cannot have any interest in any of the Megacorps or their subsidiaries or affiliates, cannot have a family member or close acquaintance who is a director, officer, or 5% or greater shareholder of a Megacorp, and cannot have any other relationship "which might give rise to the hint of impropriety." The Megacorps obviously hate strong Commissioners and would rather have a weak person they can push around.

Thus, the Commissioner must constantly battle internal and external attempts to undermine her power. The job is often compared to "watching your back 24 hours a day." While the power and prestige of the office is great, the burnout rate is high. Former Commissioners often brag about how long they were able to last in office. The job is seen as excellent résumé material and a great stepping stone to other positions.