Multinational enterprises' strategic responses to geopolitical tensions and sanctions

• 成果类型: Article; Early Access
• 署名作者: Sawant, Rajeev J.; Ameyaw, Abdul-Kadir; Trevino, Len J.; Li, Yuan
• 署名单位: State University System of Florida; Florida Atlantic University; University of Pretoria; State University System of Florida; Florida Atlantic University; Saint Mary's College of California
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STUDIES
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2506
• DOI: 10.1057/s41267-026-00891-6
• 发表日期: 2026
• 关键词: INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTION; translation; ADVANTAGES

摘要

Rising geopolitical tensions and concomitant sanctions significantly affect multinational enterprises' (MNEs), yet the theory of MNEs' strategic responses remains underdeveloped. Through a qualitative study using the Russia-Ukraine conflict as a natural experiment, we investigate how and why MNEs respond strategically to these complex conditions. MNEs recognize that these stigmatize the MNE subsidiary's host country. Continued association with a stigmatized location leads to cross-border stigma translation risk that threatens the MNE's network resources and non-location-bound firm-specific advantages (FSAs). While some MNEs divest to prevent cross-border stigma translation risk from tainting such resources and FSAs, others freeze operations or stay. Those who freeze operations mitigate cross-border stigma translation risk while preserving subsidiary resources to generate potential non-location-bound FSAs, labeled subsidiary-generated FSAs (SG-FSAs). We uncover two novel mechanisms enabling MNEs to stay while mitigating stigma risk: 'downgrading non-location-bound FSAs' achieved through resource transfer, isolation, and recombination processes, and 'downgrading non-location-bound SG-FSA exploitation' achieved by embedding SG-FSAs in products restricted to the host country. We develop a theoretical model of MNE responses to sanctions, explaining how MNEs manage cross-border stigma translation risks and why MNE strategic configurations drive MNE responses. Our study contributes to understanding how and why MNEs respond to sanctions from geopolitical tensions. La mont & eacute;e des tensions g & eacute;opolitiques et les sanctions qui en d & eacute;coulent ont un impact significatif sur les entreprises multinationales (MNEs), mais la th & eacute;orie relative aux r & eacute;ponses strat & eacute;giques de ces derni & egrave;res reste encore peu d & eacute;velopp & eacute;e. Dans le cadre d'une recherche qualitative utilisant le conflit russo-ukrainien comme exp & eacute;rience naturelle, nous examinons comment et pourquoi les MNEs r & eacute;agissent de mani & egrave;re strat & eacute;gique & agrave; ces conditions complexes. Les MNEs reconnaissent que ces tensions stigmatisent le pays h & ocirc;te de leur filiale. L'association continue avec un lieu stigmatis & eacute; entra & icirc;ne un risque de transposition transfrontali & egrave;re de la stigmatisation, lequel menace les ressources du r & eacute;seau de la MNE ainsi que ses ressources et comp & eacute;tences strat & eacute;giques & agrave; port & eacute;e globale (Non-location-bound FSAs). Alors que certaines MNEs se d & eacute;sengagent pour & eacute;viter que le risque de transposition transfrontali & egrave;re de la stigmatisation ne compromette ces ressources et FSAs, d'autres g & egrave;lent leurs activit & eacute;s ou restent sur place. Celles qui g & egrave;lent leurs activit & eacute;s att & eacute;nuent ce risque tout en pr & eacute;servant les ressources de leurs filiales afin de g & eacute;n & eacute;rer de potentielles FSAs & agrave; port & eacute;e globale, appel & eacute;es & laquo; FSA g & eacute;n & eacute;r & eacute;es par les filiales & raquo; (SG-FSAs). Nous mettons en lumi & egrave;re deux nouveaux m & eacute;canismes permettant aux MNEs de rester tout en att & eacute;nuant le risque de stigmatisation : la & laquo; d & eacute;valorisation des FSAs & agrave; port & eacute;e globale & raquo;, r & eacute;alis & eacute;e gr & acirc;ce & agrave; des processus de transfert, d'isolation et de recombinaison des ressources ; et la & laquo; d & eacute;valorisation de l'exploitation des SG-FSAs & agrave; port & eacute;e globale & raquo;, obtenue en int & eacute;grant les SG-FSAs dans des produits restreints au pays h & ocirc;te. Nous & eacute;laborons un mod & egrave;le th & eacute;orique des r & eacute;actions des MNEs face aux sanctions, qui explique comment celles-ci g & egrave;rent les risques li & eacute;s & agrave; la transposition transfrontali & egrave;re de la stigmatisation et pourquoi leurs configurations strat & eacute;giques d & eacute;terminent leurs r & eacute;actions. Notre recherche contribue & agrave; mieux comprendre comment et pourquoi les MNEs r & eacute;agissent aux sanctions r & eacute;sultant de tensions g & eacute;opolitiques. El aumento de las tensiones geopol & iacute;ticas y las sanciones asociadas afectan significativamente a las empresas multinacionales (MNEs por sus iniciales en ingl & eacute;s), sin embargo, la teor & iacute;a sobre las respuestas estrat & eacute;gicas de las empresas multinacionales sigue estando poco desarrollada. A trav & eacute;s de un estudio cualitativo que utiliza el conflicto entre Rusia y Ucrania como un experimento natural, investigamos c & oacute;mo y por qu & eacute; las multinacionales responden estrat & eacute;gicamente a estas condiciones complejas. Las multinacionales reconocen que estas sanciones estigmatizan el pa & iacute;s anfitri & oacute;n donde opera la filial. La asociaci & oacute;n continua con una ubicaci & oacute;n estigmatizada conduce a un riesgo de transferencia del estigma transfronterizo que amenaza los recursos de la red de la empresa multinacional y las ventajas espec & iacute;ficas de la empresa no ligadas a la ubicaci & oacute;n (FSAs, por sus siglas en ingl & eacute;s). Mientras que algunas multinacionales desinvierten para prevenir que el riesgo de transferencia del estigma transfronterizo contamine dichos recursos y ventajas espec & iacute;ficas de la empresa, otras congelan sus operaciones o permanecen en el lugar. Aquellas que suspenden temporalmente operaciones mitigan el riesgo de transferencia del estigma transfronterizo mientras preservan los recursos de la filial para generar posibles ventajas espec & iacute;ficas de la empresa no ligadas a la ubicaci & oacute;n, denominadas ventajas espec & iacute;ficas de la empresa generadas por la filial (SG-FSAs, por sus siglas en ingl & eacute;s). Descubrimos dos mecanismos novedosos que permiten a las multinacionales permanecer mientras mitigan el riesgo de estigma: la degradaci & oacute;n de las ventajas espec & iacute;ficas de la empresa no ligadas a la ubicaci & oacute;n, lograda a trav & eacute;s de procesos de transferencia, aislamiento y recombinaci & oacute;n de recursos, y la degradaci & oacute;n de la explotaci & oacute;n de las ventajas espec & iacute;ficas generadas por la filial no ligadas a la ubicaci & oacute;n, lograda al integrar las ventajas espec & iacute;ficas generadas por la filial en productos restringidos al pa & iacute;s anfitri & oacute;n. Desarrollamos un modelo te & oacute;rico de las respuestas de las multinacionales a las sanciones, explicando c & oacute;mo las multinacionales gestionan los riesgos de transferencia del estigma transfronterizo y por qu & eacute; las configuraciones estrat & eacute;gicas de las multinacionales impulsan sus respuestas. Nuestro estudio contribuye a la comprensi & oacute;n de c & oacute;mo y por qu & eacute; las multinacionales responden a las sanciones derivadas de tensiones geopol & iacute;ticas. O aumento das tens & otilde;es geopol & iacute;ticas e as san & ccedil;& otilde;es correspondentes afetam significativamente as empresas multinacionais (MNEs), mas a teoria sobre as respostas estrat & eacute;gicas dessas MNEs permanece subdesenvolvida. Por meio de um estudo qualitativo que utiliza o conflito R & uacute;ssia-Ucr & acirc;nia como experimento natural, investigamos como e por que MNEs respondem estrategicamente a essas condi & ccedil;& otilde;es complexas. MNEs reconhecem que essas condi & ccedil;& otilde;es estigmatizam o pa & iacute;s anfitri & atilde;o da subsidi & aacute;ria. A associa & ccedil;& atilde;o cont & iacute;nua a uma localiza & ccedil;& atilde;o estigmatizada aumenta o risco de tradu & ccedil;& atilde;o do estigma transfronteiri & ccedil;o, que amea & ccedil;a os recursos da rede da MNE e as vantagens espec & iacute;ficas da empresa n & atilde;o vinculadas & agrave; localiza & ccedil;& atilde;o (FSAs). Enquanto algumas MNEs desinvestem para evitar que o risco de tradu & ccedil;& atilde;o de estigma transfronteiri & ccedil;o contamine esses recursos e FSAs, outras congelam suas opera & ccedil;& otilde;es ou permanecem operando. Aquelas que congelam opera & ccedil;& otilde;es mitigam o risco de tradu & ccedil;& atilde;o do estigma transfronteiri & ccedil;o, enquanto preservam os recursos da subsidi & aacute;ria para gerar potenciais FSAs n & atilde;o vinculadas & agrave; localiza & ccedil;& atilde;o, denominadas FSAs geradas pela subsidi & aacute;ria (SG-FSAs). Descobrimos dois mecanismos inovadores que permitem que MNEs permane & ccedil;am enquanto mitigam o risco de estigma: redu & ccedil;& atilde;o das FSAs n & atilde;o vinculadas & agrave; localiza & ccedil;& atilde;o, alcan & ccedil;ada por meio de processos de transfer & ecirc;ncia, isolamento e recombina & ccedil;& atilde;o de recursos, e redu & ccedil;& atilde;o da explora & ccedil;& atilde;o de SG-FSAs n & atilde;o vinculadas & agrave; localiza & ccedil;& atilde;o, alcan & ccedil;ada por meio da incorpora & ccedil;& atilde;o de SG-FSAs em produtos restritos ao pa & iacute;s anfitri & atilde;o. Desenvolvemos um modelo te & oacute;rico das respostas de MNEs & agrave;s san & ccedil;& otilde;es, explicando como as MNEs gerenciam os riscos de tradu & ccedil;& atilde;o de estigma transfronteiri & ccedil;o e por que as configura & ccedil;& otilde;es estrat & eacute;gicas das MNEs impulsionam suas respostas. Nosso estudo contribui para a compreens & atilde;o de como e por que MNEs respondem & agrave;s san & ccedil;& otilde;es decorrentes de tens & otilde;es geopol & iacute;ticas. (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(MNEs)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)MNE(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)MNE(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).MNE(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)MNE(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)MNE(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(FSAs).(sic)(sic)MNE(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)FSA;(sic)(sic)(sic)MNE(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)MNE(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)FSA, (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)FSA(SG-FSA).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)MNE(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic):(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)FSA;(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)SG-FSA(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)SG-FSA(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)MNE(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)MNE(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)MNE(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)MNE(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).