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Reconfiguring International Business under Geopolitical Shifts: Governance, Location Strategy, and Connectivity Infrastructure

Aston University College of Business and Social Sciences
Partially Funded 🎓 Business & Management econometrics india international business geopolitical risk ownership structures location strategy connectivity infrastructure china

Explore how geopolitical tensions reshape multinational firms’ strategies and internationalisation patterns. Analyze firms from India and China investing in the UK and EU, employing econometric and spatial data analysis to understand governance and connectivity impacts in global business.

AI-generated overview

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Why This Research Matters

This research addresses the real-world challenges multinational firms face due to geopolitical shifts, informing strategies that sustain international economic ties and innovation networks. It provides policymakers and business leaders with critical insights on managing uncertainty and supporting resilient cross-border investments and knowledge flows.

International trade GVCs AI Public procurement

Project Description

Project Overview

Since the 2008 global financial crisis, rising geopolitical tensions have profoundly affected international business. Multinational enterprises face tighter regulations, political sensitivities, and disruptions to cross-border connections essential for expansion. This project addresses how firms reconfigure ownership, location strategies, and linkages amidst increased geopolitical risk, focusing on India and China’s investments in the UK and EU.

What You Will Do

The project combines governance, location choice, and infrastructure perspectives, applying advanced microeconometric and spatial analyses to large-scale secondary datasets. It seeks to understand how geopolitical risk reshapes ownership structures, entry modes, and the role of institutional proximity and connectivity in facilitating knowledge spillovers and innovation networks.

Expected Outcomes

Findings will reveal how multinational firms adjust strategies in fragmented political landscapes, offering insights for sustaining resilient UK-Asia economic ties. The work aims to contribute to scholarship on globalisation and inform policy and managerial decisions amid uncertainty.

Why This Matters

As globalisation faces geopolitical challenges, understanding firm responses is vital for economic resilience and growth. This research aids policymakers and managers in navigating the complex dynamics of international investment and connectivity infrastructure in a turbulent global context.

Entry Requirements

A First or Upper Second Class Honours undergraduate degree, and a Masters degree with Merit or Distinction, both in relevant subjects such as International Business, International Economics, or related fields. Prior training in econometrics is required. Preference for candidates with distinction in MSc or BSc dissertations, experience analysing firm-level data, and proficiency in statistical software like R or Stata.

How to Apply

Applications must include transcripts and certificates, a research statement referencing the project title, a personal statement, CV, two academic references (one from the most recent university), English language evidence, passport copy, and, if relevant, settled/pre-settled status evidence. Contact s.khorana@aston.ac.uk for enquiries or pgr_admissions@aston.ac.uk for application process queries.

Eligibility

UK/Home
EU
International

Supervisor Profile

PS
Prof Sangeeta Khorana
Aston University, College of Business and Social Sciences
8889 Citations
28 h-index
Google Scholar

Prof Sangeeta Khorana is an expert in International Business and Strategy, focusing on the intersection of geopolitical risk and global firm behaviour. Her research explores governance under uncertainty, location strategies in fragmented markets, and the role of connectivity infrastructure in economic networks. She is recognized for advancing understanding of international business amid political change.

Key Publications

2023 6369 citations
Opinion Paper:“So what if ChatGPT wrote it?” Multidisciplinary perspectives on opportunities, challenges and implications of generative conversational AI for research, practice …
Discusses multidisciplinary perspectives on opportunities, challenges and implications of generative conversational AI like ChatGPT for research and practice.
2021 359 citations
Barriers to the adoption of blockchain technology in business supply chains: a total interpretive structural modelling (TISM) approach
Identifies and models barriers to blockchain adoption in business supply chains.
2023 300 citations
Assessing organizational users’ intentions and behavior to AI integrated CRM systems: A meta-UTAUT approach
Analyzes factors influencing organizational user adoption and behavior towards AI integrated CRM systems.
2022 120 citations
Harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence to foster citizens’ satisfaction: an empirical study on India
Empirically assesses how AI adoption can enhance citizen satisfaction in the Indian context.
2024 96 citations
Assessing the implementation of AI integrated CRM system for B2C relationship management: integrating contingency theory and dynamic capability view theory
Evaluates AI integrated CRM implementation for business-to-consumer relationships with theoretical grounding.

Research Contributions

Provided multidisciplinary perspectives on the implications of generative conversational AI for research and practice.
Helped shape understanding of AI's possibilities and challenges in academic and professional fields.
Explored barriers to blockchain adoption in supply chain management using interpretive structural modeling.
Informed businesses and researchers about key challenges limiting blockchain technology application.
Investigated factors influencing organizational adoption of AI integrated CRM systems using meta-UTAUT framework.
Guided organizations planning AI system implementation to improve user acceptance.
Demonstrated how AI can enhance citizen satisfaction through empirical study in India.
Provided evidence supporting AI adoption in public service delivery to improve citizen outcomes.

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