Geopolitics in Business Schools?

Abstract

The impact of geopolitics on business activities is undeniable as all MNCs now consider it to be a specific risk. Yet, business school curricula only rarely contain standalone geopolitics modules. I suggest that it is time to bring geopolitics into business schools as a subject worth of serious attention can only enrich our teaching by providing a geopolitical approach of the international business context. I first explain the different streams of thoughts in geopolitics (classical and critical) and methodological foundations. Integrating classical geopolitics helps understand the new world order and how states’ grand strategies may impact business activities (and helps avoid “geopolitical traps”); critical geopolitics helps deepen the political risk perspective with a relational and multiscale geopolitical approach (and helps avoid “geopolitical mistakes”). I suggest two ways of incorporating geopolitics into our teachings: offering classical geopolitics courses to ensure the conceptual integration of key strategic issues into the class discussion and teaching the students the systemic method of analysis. Adopting a geopolitical perspective will also help fulfill our broader mission as business schools: to develop our students’ capability to generate sustainable value in business and society.