fanning out across the planet

These executives fanned out across the planet. They sought the cheapest labour pools, the most accessible resources, and the largest markets. They were ruthless in their approach. ... Like us, they ensnared communities and countries. They promised affluence, a way for countries to use the private sector to dig themselves out of debt. ... In the end, however, if they found cheaper workers or more accessible resources elsewhere, they left. When they abandoned a community whose hopes they had raised, the consequences were often devastating...