Internationalization and cross-border partnerships

Politics and Strategic Innovation

International business has never been more politicized. Trade tensions, regulatory fragmentation, and the rise of techno-nationalism are forcing companies to develop sophisticated strategies not just for markets — but for the political environments that shape them. Our research investigates how firms should respond to political environments at home and abroad, showing that political uncertainty is not simply a risk to be passively managed but an arena where firms need to actively develop strategic responses to remain innovative. From engaging with regulators to building relationships with government officials across diverse political systems, the companies that develop adequate political risk strategies are the ones that sustain competitive advantage internationally. Our research demonstrates how political environments shape corporate decision-making and innovation — and what leaders must do to stay ahead. 

For more insights, see the work of Dr Matteo Mösli

Top Management Teams and Power Dynamics

Behind every strategic decisions stands a leadership team — and how that team thinks, decides, and manages as well as the power it holds shapes everything that follows. Our research focuses on the executives and top management teams at the heart of international partnerships, showing how their decisions, biases, and power dynamics shape organizational outcomes. We show that leaders bring not only expertise but also cognitive limitations and intergroup biases that systematically distort decision-making in cross-cultural settings, and that these can be corrected through deliberate governance design. We also examine the complex power dynamics between headquarters and subsidiaries — and how corporate strategies can be designed to build genuinely inclusive environments where diverse perspectives become a source of organizational strength rather than friction. 

For more insights, see the work of Dr Matteo Mösli and Dr Evangelos Syrigos

Culture in M&As and Internationalization

How leaders think and decide ultimately determines how organizations integrate, and whether cultural differences become a source of competitive advantage or a source of failure. Whether in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, or the ongoing management of headquarters and subsidiary relationships, internationalization is fundamentally a process of organizational and cultural change. Our research shows that cultural differences are not simply overcome, they are actively negotiated, and how leaders manage identity dynamics during these processes fundamentally shapes whether cross-border partnerships succeed or fail. Drawing on longitudinal studies of cross-border M&As, we demonstrate how leaders and organizational members can build "best-of-both" solutions — preserving what is valuable from each organization while constructing a shared, future-oriented identity. Our research shows that integration success does not require cultural convergence, it can emerge when leaders from both sides practice collective identity leadership, with complementary acts that enable the partnership to move forward without either side losing what defines them. 

International expansion does not end with entry, it continues as subsidiaries grow, adapt, and redefine their role within the multinational organization. Our research examines how subsidiaries evolve their mandate over time, transitioning from initial sales outposts to manufacturing centers to innovation hubs, and what that evolution means for the relationship between headquarters and the subsidiary. These transitions reshape identity, power dynamics, and cultural relationships within the organization. We show that managing subsidiary mandate change requires the same geocultural intelligence and cross-cultural leadership capabilities as managing an acquisition: the ability to negotiate new roles, build shared understanding across organizational boundaries, and ensure that the evolving subsidiary strengthens in the host and global markets.

For more insights, see the work of Prof. Anna Lupina-Wegener

Trust-based Leadership across Asian Contexts

With over two decades of sustained research engagement in China and across the Asia-Europe business environments, the CCM brings deep expertise in how leadership and trust operate in Asian contexts, and what this means for partnerships, joint ventures, and cross-border teams. Trust is not built the same way everywhere. In Asian business contexts, shaped by relational norms, hierarchy, and collective dynamics, trust between leaders and followers emerges through different processes than those assumed by Western leadership models.

Our research shows that trust in these settings is not simply an individual perception, it is jointly produced through leadership practices, social interaction, and organizational conditions. Leaders who understand this build coordination, voice, and collective learning across cultural boundaries. 

For more insights, see the work of Dong Yang Meier