COVID-19 and International Business: A Viewpoint

This article contends COVID-19 will spur a new world order with implications for international institutions, the unity of the European Union, multinational corporations (MNCs), foreign direct investment flows, the use of virtual money, and government policy. It argues we will see a rise in nationalism and protectionism, changing attitudes towards information from certain sources, the localization and regionalization of supply chains, the bifurcation of the world, and the securitzation of certain industries. Alon recommends four MNC responses: incorporate the risk of infectious diseases into strategic planning, use GVT for work team management, localize and regionalize supply chains, and secure information.

This article originally appeared as: Ilan Alon, “COVID-19 and International Business: A Viewpoint.” FIIB Business Review 9, no. 2 (2020): 75-77. It is available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2319714520923579. Copyright remains with the original holder.