Research in the Department of Strategy and International Business

Academics in the Strategy and International Business Department focus on management innovations and collaborative strategies in the global economy, including international strategic alliances, mergers & acquisitions, global value chains and lean production, outsourcing and reshoring. Our global strategy research addresses issues such as strategic agility and resilience, corporate governance, global innovation networks, with a particular focus on emerging economies and emerging MNCs. We consider issues in global business from an interdisciplinary lens, critically investigating current issues such as political activities of multinationals or the impact of digital strategy and AI-applications on organizations and industries.

Our research addresses some of the global challenges in terms of achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) in the international economy, such as the role of MNCs in the transition towards more sustainable strategies through capability development for international business and entrepreneurial co-creation opportunities. This involves strategic change to adapt to the UN SDGs, for example zero-waste policies and circular economies, climate change, clean air and green energy. We focus on the role of organisations and technology in solving societal problems and facilitating positive change, but also address corporate social (ir-)responsibility, misconduct and organizational corruption. Our research examines issues ranging from base-of-pyramid business approaches and the role of business in poverty reduction to the wider political, economic and social issues in cities and regions across the world, critically reflecting on the role of the natural and built environment.  

SIB members researching in this area include:

• Samuel Adomako
• Roshan Boojihawon
• John Bryson
• Selim Cakir
• Stephanie Decker
• Lin Dong
• Pervez Ghauri
• Nur Gundogdu
• Knut Lange
• Paulina Ramirez
• Shlomo Tarba

International expansion is increasingly undertaken by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and our researchers are internationally recognised for their work on how SMEs make decisions and develop their networks when internationalizing, as well as how they develop business models and international new ventures. Staff also address the specific challenges faced migrant entrepreneurs and other types of diaspora networks as well as returnee entrepreneurship – a major driver of economic development in emerging economies. 

SIB members researching in this area include:

• Samuel Adomako
• Jessica An
• James Blackmore-Wright
• John Child
• Carole Couper
• Linda Hsieh
• Knut Lange
• Xiaohui Liu
• Adah-Kole Emmanuel Onjewu
• Neil Pyper
• Laura Salciuvene
• Veselina Stoyanova
• Chengang Wang

Academics in the Department are experts in international negotiations and the role of language and culture in multinationals. Multi-linguality and cross-cultural management can be challenging to manage for international organizations. Our researchers also continuously develop and approve research methods to better appreciate the changing global environment, including, cross-country surveys, qualitative multilingual and secondary qualitative research. These insights contribute to our teaching practice and are further developed through purposeful educational research, focusing on the internationalisation of higher education, the impact of digital technology on student learning and the role of executive education.  

SIB members researching in this area include:

• Mahmoud Alajaty
• James Blackmore-Wright
• Aggie Chidlow
• Carole Couper
• Emma Gardner
• Pervez Ghauri
• Amir Qamar
• Oded Shenkar
• Shlomo Tarba

Couper, C 2025, Analysing multilingual (English–Chinese) qualitative data through and for dialogue: a dialogical approach. in H Barnard (ed.), Handbook for qualitative research in emerging markets: Methods and Applications. Research Handbooks in Business and Management series, Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd., pp. 148-162. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035322329.00019

Du, B, Bryson, JR & Qamar, A 2025, 'Aspiring Towards Automotive Circularity: A Critical Review and Research Agenda ', Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 380, 125150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125150

Lanivich, SE, Adomako, S, Zahoor, N, Tarba, SY & Stockdall, K 2025, 'Bricolage and new-venture performance: conditions of digitalization, causation, and effectuation', Journal of Small Business Management. https://doi.org/10.1080/00472778.2025.2483759

Chidlow, A, Antonacopoulou, EP, Reibstein , DJ & Steingard , D 2025, 'Building Impact Through Strategic Unity: Business Schools’ Responsibility to the Common Good' The Global Focus, vol. 19, no. 2. <https://www.globalfocusmagazine.com/building-impact-through-strategic-unity-business-schools-responsibility-to-the-common-good/>

Roy, SK, Dey, BL, Brown, DM, Abid, A, Apostolidis, C, Christofi, M & Tarba, S 2025, 'Business Model Innovation through AI Adaptation: The Role of Strategic Human Resources Management', British Journal of Management, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 546-559. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.12894

De Mattos, C, Salciuviene, L & Sanderson, S 2025, 'Can conflict be a desirable step in trust-building within international strategic alliances? A systematic literature review and typology', Journal of International Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intman.2025.101234

Adomako, S, Zahoor, N, Tang, S, Chu, I & Zhang, S 2025, 'CEO Vision Articulation, TMT Relational Attachment, and Corporate Entrepreneurship', The Leadership Quarterly.

Nix, A, Decker, S & Kirsch, D 2025, 'Conceptualising methodological diversity among born-digital users: insights from the garbage can model', AI & Society. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-025-02229-6

Sarala, RM, Tarba, SY, Zahoor, N, Khan, H, Cooper, SCL & Arslan, A 2025, 'Correction: The impact of digitalization and virtualization on technology transfer in strategic collaborative partnerships ', Journal of Technology Transfer, vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 417-418. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-024-10183-6

Śliwa, M, Decker, S, Barros, AND, Omeihe, K & Prasad, A 2025, 'Decolonising the business and management curriculum: An ontological modesty perspective', Management Learning, vol. 56, no. 2, pp. 153-159. https://doi.org/10.1177/13505076251323764

Ozbilgin, MF, Erbil, C & Gundogdu, N 2025, Developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) with Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI): Towards Interdisciplinary Co-Design with Scholars and Practitioners of EDI and AI. in J Vassilopoulou & O Kyriakidou (eds), AI and Diversity in a Datafied World of Work: Will the Future of Work be Inclusive?. International Perspectives on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, vol. 12, Emerald Publishing Limited, pp. 247-263. <https://bookstore.emerald.com/ai-and-diversity-in-a-datafied-world-of-work-hb-9781837972975.html>

Khizar, HMU, Kousar, S & Adomako, S 2025, 'Digital Technologies in Innovation Ecosystem: A Systematic Review of Current Trends and Future Perspective', R and D Management. https://doi.org/10.1111/radm.12758