An article by Professor Christopher Hartwell, Dr Olha Zadorozhna, and Matteo Mösli received three prestigious awards at the European International Business Academy (EIBA) 2025 Conference, the leading European academic event in the field of international business. Each year, the conference brings together top scholars from Europe and around the world, and its awards are considered among the most competitive in the discipline.
The publication Because the Leader Says So: Political Connections, Internationalization Behavior, and Authoritarian State Capitalism was recognised in three categories:
- Danny Van Den Bulcke Best EIBA Conference Paper Prize,
- Centre for International Business at the University of Leeds (CIBUL) – Best Paper for Interdisciplinary Contribution (runner-up),
- Best Paper Award in the thematic track “Democracy, Institutions, Economic Growth and the Multinational Enterprise”.
The authors analyse how the growing authoritarianism of the state affects the internationalization strategies of politically connected private firms. Using data from Russia covering the years 1991–2023, they show that companies with ties to political elites are more likely to invest abroad in line with the state’s political interests, rather than purely economic calculations.
The study demonstrates that political connections function simultaneously as a “shield”, providing firms with protection and benefits at home, and as a “leash”, encouraging them to pursue geopolitical objectives beyond national borders.
“This recognition confirms that interdisciplinary research combining economics, political science, and institutional studies is now essential for understanding corporate global strategies in a world shaped by geopolitical tensions,” the authors emphasize.
The success of the publication further emphasizes the strong position of Kozminski University in international research on business, the global economy and geopolitics.
