Populism, political risk, and pandemics: The challenges of political leadership for business in a post-COVID world

The examination of political risk, uncertainty, and institutions in the international business literature has, not unexpectedly, been shaped by prevailing issues faced firms at their time writing. While these three separate angles together have provided an iteratively more comprehensive view politics nexus, they are still missing important component, namely ability specific actors to utilize uncertainty generate institutional volatility. This paper examines rise two phenomena that challenge theoretical frameworks, potentially render our previous insights less relevant: first, populism as a persistent force developed economies, second, rapid spread disparate response COVID-19. We argue exclusively institutional-based frameworks inadequate cope with realities 21st century, themselves being subverted or utilized for actions far beyond original conception practice operationalization IB (something COVID-19 has exacerbated). Although extant work much recommend itself helping understand risk sphere, new challenges reveal we need incorporate personalities, actors, leaders(hip) into research. Only then can complete picture how influence business.