MNE Sustainability as a Strategic Capability in Geopolitically Volatile Environments

Abstract Book of the 8th International Conference on New Trends in Management, Business and Economics

Year: 2026

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MNE Sustainability as a Strategic Capability in Geopolitically Volatile Environments

Franzelle Mathis-Pertilla, Tatyana Pashnyak

ABSTRACT:

The evolving interplay between geopolitics and multinational enterprise (MNE) sustainability has become a prominent theme in contemporary international business discussion, driven by geopolitical tensions shaping the complex terrains in which MNEs operate. Governments’ growing use of sanctions, trade measures, and regulatory tools to pursue their objectives intensifies pressures on MNEs to align sustainability strategies with both global standards and localized political expectations. This study contributes to the international business and global strategy literature by conceptualizing sustainability as a dynamic strategic capability that enables MNEs to navigate geopolitical uncertainty, manage institutional complexity, and support long-term value creation in an increasingly fragmented global economy. This study adopts a theory-building qualitative approach and advances a conceptual framework grounded in a multiple-case study design to explain how sustainability functions as a strategic capability in geopolitically volatile environments. The findings of this study reveal useful insights for future directions and the resiliency of global operatives.

Keywords: business strategy; disruption; ecosystem; resilience