Global R&D amid rising techno-nationalism and geopolitical risk

MNEs increase R&D job commitments in geopolitically adversarial host countries amid rising techno-nationalism

evis_sinani
10/03/2025

In a newly published article in Research Policy, Associate Professor Evis Sinani and her co-authors examine how multinational enterprises (MNEs) navigate global R&D investments in the era of rising techno-nationalism and geopolitical risk. The study explores how strained diplomatic relations between home and host countries shape MNEs' strategies, revealing that firms often commit more jobs in host countries with adversarial diplomatic ties to enhance their legitimacy. However, MNEs investing in digital technology infrastructure adopt a more cautious approach, limiting job commitments due to heightened national security concerns. LINK