International Business Research; Vol. 8, No. 5; 2015 ISSN 1913-9004 E-ISSN 1913-9012 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education The Western Union Case and the Social Function of the International Money Transfer Lindsey Selbach1 & Jeferson Lana2 1 Universidade Vale do Itajaí – Univali, Brazil 2 Fundação Getúlio Vargas - FGV/EAESP, Brazil Correspondence: Jeferson Lana, Fundação Getúlio Vargas - FGV/EAESP, Brazil. E-mail:
[email protected] Received: August 31, 2014 Accepted: April 2, 2015 Online Published: April 25, 2015 doi:10.5539/ibr.v8n5p101 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ibr.v8n5p101 Abstract The growing of the global migration phenomenon connects various socioeconomic issues with the need for money transfer services offered by companies such as Western Union. Both bank, exchange standards and the migration laws that are adopted in a different system in each country, influences the definition of the service model for the international transfers. This study is sought to examine whether the services provided by Western Union can be seen as a social function. Based on the analysis of the interviews, it was concluded that from the migrant point of view the social issues involved with the possibility of money transferring is a direct solution to improve the lives of their families, and thus diminish the poverty in many regions of the world. In relation to the company focus, the social function that their service facilitates, does not define or distinguish its market positioning. Keywords: Western Union, case study, money transfer, migration, welfare 1. Introduction Throughout most of human history, the land was considered the greatest measure of wealth of a man or nation, while during the middle ages the possession of gold and silver was the index of his power.