The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing entrepreneurs to innovate amid much uncertainty and challenge.
In a new paper, published in Journal of World Business, Professor Shaker Zahra, Robert E. Buuck Chair of Entrepreneurship, explores what the world will look like post-COVID-19 for international entrepreneurship. In short, he sees “a great transformation of the global business environment, providing the impetus for a new breed of international entrepreneurs that find opportunities in the upheaval that COVID-19 has caused.”
The Challenges
Before the pandemic, international entrepreneurs were already facing strong headwinds from various anti-government, nationalist movements around the world, and trade wars. Zahra posits that the arrival of COVID-19 has only made things worse.
“The growing politicization of international institutions is likely to make it hard for these businesses to function effectively in tomorrow’s turbulent environment,” says Zahra. “What this pandemic has really highlighted are the many issues that can arise when you depend on a global supply chain.”
