Special Issue Call for Papers: Management in Times of Geopolitical Tensions and Turmoil: How War, Security, and Defense Pose New Imperatives for Organizations

Submission Deadline: 31 March 2026 

Special Issue Editors: 

Daniel Armanios, University of Oxford, UK 

Emily Block, University of Alberta, Canada 

Arne Keller, TU Wien, Austria 

Fabrice Lumineau, University of Hong Kong, China 

Madeleine Rauch, University of Cambridge, UK 

JMS Editor: Johann Fortwengel, King’s College London, UK 

 
BACKGROUND 

Geopolitical tensions and turmoil are becoming more prevalent and widespread. The world is witnessing a historic surge in armed conflict. According to the Uppsala Conflict Data Programm (UCDP), in 2023, there were 59 active state-based armed conflicts worldwide, the highest number recorded since the Second World War.1 At the time of writing this, active armed conflicts involve the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Sudanese Civil War, and the Gaza War (as part of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict). In addition, there are several significant geopolitical tensions related to border disputes, economic interests, and strategic rivalries, as for example between China and Taiwan, India and Pakistan, and Russia and NATO, that have not (yet) escalated into full-scale military conflicts. Diplomatic breakdowns, cyberattacks, nuclear threats and rearmament, and the escalation of tariffs and trade wars are further contributing to an increasingly unstable global order (Luo, 2024; Witt, 2019). 

The challenges associated with the growing prevalence and scale of geopolitical tensions and turmoil are not abstract, but for many organizations and individuals, they are part of their everyday reality. Recent estimates show that approximately 14% of people in the world live within 5 kilometers of violent conflict2, and a record number of countries (97) have experienced a decline in peacefulness in 2024.3 According to the UNHCR, over 120 million people – equivalent to 1.5% of the world’s population – are currently forcibly displaced due to war, violence, and human rights abuses.4 Moreover, geopolitical conflicts have profound economic consequences, from immediate disruptions to long-term shifts in trade relations and structural changes to economic systems. The global economic impact of violence is estimated at $19.1 trillion, representing about 13.5% of the world’s GDP.5 In fact, state-based armed conflict, including proxy wars, civil war, coups, and terrorism, ranks as by far the greatest risk in the World Economic Forum’s current Global Risk Report.6 Conversely, in response to increasing geopolitical tensions and security challenges world military expenditure rose to $2718 billion in 2024, the highest global total ever recorded.7 

These developments have multifaceted implications for organizations. On the one hand, geopolitical tensions and turmoil pose significant challenges and have immediate, short-term effects on various organizational actors, including defense contractors (Vergne, 2012), NGOs (Rauch and Ansari, 2025), local businesses (Hiatt and Sine, 2014), and multinational enterprises (Eden, 2024). Dai et al. (2017), for example, find that when a war breaks out in a host country otherwise highly valuable locations and resources can become sources of vulnerability that prompt the early withdrawal of foreign multinational enterprises, while Oh and Oetzel (2017) show that experiential knowledge about dealing with political risk is highly context-specific and thus difficult to leverage across borders. Furthermore, research has examined the impact of sanctions on international business (Meyer et al., 2023) and how organizations cope with increasing techno-geopolitical competition (Luo and Van Asche, 2023). On the other hand, existing research has emphasized the long-term effects and implications of geopolitical tensions and conflict (Klüppel et al., 2018). Examining the formation of alliances between firms among nation-dyads with and without a history of conflicts, Arikan and Shenkar (2013) show that as animosity between two nations increases, the number and probability of forming alliances decreases. Relatedly, Arikan et al. (2020) find that nation-dyads with historical conflict incorporate negative sentiments into their national identities and that an increased generational distance from prior conflict dampens the negative influence of historical conflict. Moreover, extant research has also explored the role of individuals in geopolitical conflict. For example, de Rond and Look (2016) explore the emotional distress and psychological injury from war, Rauch (2025) analyzes how UN peacekeeping officers enact idealized futures in conflict-riddled environments, while Koch‐Bayram and Wernicke (2018) reveal that military service and conflict experience instills long-lasting identity-based beliefs, such as honor and integrity. However, despite the importance and far-reaching effects of geopolitical tensions and turmoil, management research has only scratched the surface of the complexities and implications involved. As a result, many important questions and themes remain unexplored, warranting further scholarly attention and investigation. 

AIM AND SCOPE OF THE SPECIAL ISSUE 

Given the significant impact of geopolitical events and developments on organizations – from armed conflicts and cybersecurity threats to supply chain disruption, escalating trade wars, and geoeconomic confrontation – this Special Issue on Management in Times of Geopolitical Tensions and Turmoil aims to advance our scholarly understanding of how war, security, and defense reshape organizational imperatives and how organizations navigate and adapt to the complexities of conflict, uncertainty, and political instability. 

Although research has begun to explore the dynamics and organizational implications of geopolitical tensions and turmoil (e.g., Henisz et al., 2010; Joseph et al., 2025; Lumineau and Keller, 2025; Luo and Tung, 2025), conflict-ridden environments have so far been analyzed either as extreme (revelatory) contexts (Hällgren et al., 2025) or as specific aspects in international business (Moura et al., 2025), such as in the case of cross-border acquisitions (Li et al., 2020), foreign direct investment, and market entry/exit decisions (Albino-Pimentel et al., 2021; Dai et al., 2023). Given the scope and prevalence of geopolitical tensions, along with their far-reaching implications for organizations and societies (George et al., 2016; Wickert et al., 2021), this special issue aims to bring the topic to the forefront of the management research agenda. Specifically, we seek new theoretical and empirical insights to better understand how organizations navigate times of geopolitical conflict, as well as integrative frameworks that address war, security, and defense – not as background conditions or research settings, but as central forces reshaping the core assumptions, responsibilities, and structures of organizations. 

We invite both empirical and conceptual papers that investigate micro-, meso-, and macro-level issues related to how war, security, and defense pose new imperatives for organizations. While the focus on this special issue pertains to management and organizational aspects of geopolitical tensions and turmoil, we encourage interdisciplinary work and invite submissions that draw on theories and methodological approaches from other disciplines, such as political science or sociology, reflecting the scope and complexity of the phenomenon under study. The following topic areas highlight exemplary questions and research themes that we seek to address in this special issue: 

Antecedents of geopolitical tensions and turmoil: 

• What organizational practices contribute to the emergence and escalation of geopolitical tensions and turmoil? 

• How do organizations, including NGOs, multinational enterprises, and defense contractors, contribute to, mitigate, or become entangled in the dynamics that spark geopolitical instability and conflict? 

• How do multinational enterprises’ strategic alliances, joint ventures, and subsidiaries in geopolitically sensitive regions as well as their interdependence with national governments influence the risk of political conflict and instability? 

• What institutional configurations make industries or regions particularly susceptible to the emergence and escalation of (geo-)political tensions and turmoil? 

• In what ways do resource dependencies and competition over critical technologies create structural vulnerabilities and act as a driver of geopolitical conflict? 

• How does the globalization of supply chains contribute to or mitigate risks related to geopolitical instability and (violent) conflict? 

• How do emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, cyber tools, and autonomous weapons systems enable, mediate, or intensify geopolitical conflict? 

• How does an organization’s prior experience with violent conflict or security crises influence its preparedness for future geopolitical events? 

Consequences of geopolitical tensions and turmoil: 

• How are geopolitical rivalries and national security agendas reshaping innovation priorities and corporate R&D investments? 

• What novel organizational forms and cross-sector partnerships are emerging in response to security challenges, such as cyberwarfare, disinformation and propaganda, and interferences in elections and political processes? 

• How do geopolitical risks and uncertainties, such as competition for critical resources, military armament, and trade protectionism, reorient business models and global supply chains? 

• How do the threat of conflict or instability as well as sanctions and trade restrictions during geopolitical turmoil affect the strategies of multinational enterprises for market entry, exit, and expansion in international markets? 

• In what ways do geopolitical conflicts and turmoil reshape strategic partnerships and competitive dynamics within industries? 

• What are the implications of geopolitical tensions and changes in national security policies (e.g., sanctions and immigration controls) on the global mobility of labor, particularly for expatriates, remote workers, and refugees? 

• How do conflict-related conditions disrupt or reshape the normative assumptions about legitimacy, responsibility, and moral accountability in business? 

• What are the challenges faced by organizations in re-establishing operations in societies recovering from conflict and political turmoil? 

Responses to geopolitical tensions and turmoil: 

• How are organizations adapting their governance structures, decision-making processes, and leadership practices in response to heightened geopolitical tensions and security threats? 

• How do organizations make use of political engagement and wider nonmarket strategies, including lobbying, campaigning, and advocacy, to manage stakeholder relationships and navigate through times of geopolitical uncertainty? 

• What strategies do organizations use to protect intellectual property and knowledge-based assets during geopolitical instability and conflict, and how can they mitigate the risk of expropriation or nationalization? 

• How do organizations experience and manage reputational, ethical, and legal risks when operating in or adjacent to conflict zones? 

• What are best practices for organizations to mitigate the effects of national security policies, such as border closures, sanctions, or trade barriers, on their operations? 

• How do entrepreneurs in conflict-prone regions operate and innovate under pressures of limited resources, political instability, and insecurity? 

• What strategies, tools, and (foresight) tactics help organizations to manage security risks and to anticipate and navigate conflict-driven disruptions? 

• How can organizations see and make futures when they expect geopolitical tensions, military conflicts, and turmoil to increase in scope, intensity, and frequency? 

These are by no means an exhaustive set of questions. We invite submissions that cover other issues and topics that fall within the scope of this special issue. Moreover, we acknowledge that investigating the organizational dynamics surrounding geopolitical tensions and turmoil and to unlock novel insights into how war, security, and defense pose new imperatives for organizations, may require innovative methodological approaches as well as new and unconventional data sources (Grégoire et al., 2024). 
 

SUBMISSION PROCESS AND DEADLINES 

• Submission deadline: 31 March 2026 

• Expected publication: 2028 

• Submissions should be prepared using the JMS Manuscript Preparation Guidelines (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/pb-assets/assets/14676486/JMS-Manuscript-Preparation-Guidelines-2024-1703285166.pdf) 

• Manuscripts should be submitted using the JMS ScholarOne system (https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jmstudies) 

• Articles will be reviewed according to the JMS double-blind review process. 

• Daniel Armanios (daniel.armanios@sbs.ox.ac.uk) 

• Emily Block (eblock@ualberta.ca) 

• Arne Keller (arne.keller@tuwien.ac.at) 

• Fabrice Lumineau (lumineau@hku.hk) 

• Madeleine Rauch (m.rauch@jbs.cam.ac.uk) 

SPECIAL ISSUE EVENTS 

• Pre-submission deadline: The editorial team will host a special issue online information session in the fall of 2025 to introduce the call for papers for the Special Issue. Prospective contributors are invited to ask questions about any aspect of the call for papers.  

• Post-submission deadline: The editorial team will organize a special issue in-person revision workshop in 2026 (exact dates, times, and place will be announced later). Authors who receive a “revise and resubmit” (R&R) decision on their manuscript will be invited to attend this workshop.  

Participation in either of these events is not a prerequisite for submission or a guarantee of acceptance of the paper for the Special Issue. 

REFERENCES 

Albino-Pimentel, J., Oetzel, J., Oh, C. H. and Poggioli, N. A. (2021). ‘Positive institutional change through peace: The relative effects of peace agreements and non-market capabilities on FDI’. Journal of International Business Studies, 52, 1256–1278. 

Arikan, I., Arikan, A. M. and Shenkar, O. (2020). ‘Nation-dyadic history and cross-border corporate deals: Role of conflict, trade, generational distance, and professional education’. Strategic Management Journal, 41, 422–466. 

Arikan, I. and Shenkar, O. (2013). ‘National animosity and cross-border alliances’. Academy of Management Journal, 56, 1516–1544. 

Dai, L., Eden, L. and Beamish, P. W. (2017). ‘Caught in the crossfire: Dimensions of vulnerability and foreign multinationals’ exit from war‐afflicted countries’. Strategic Management Journal, 38, 1478–1498. 

Dai, L., Eden, L. and Beamish, P. W. (2023). ‘The timing and mode of foreign exit from conflict zones: A behavioral perspective’. Journal of International Business Studies, 54, 1090–1104. 

de Rond, M. and Look, J. (2016). ‘Some things can never be unseen: The role of context in psychological injury at war’. Academy of Management Journal, 59, 1965–1993. 

Eden, L. (2024). ‘Exit, pursued by a bear! Global shocks and MNE responses’. Journal of International Business Studies, 55, 1085–1088. 

George, G., Howard-Grenville, J., Joshi, A. and Tihanyi, L. (2016). ‘Understanding and tackling societal grand challenges through management research’. Academy of Management Journal, 59, 1880–1895. 

Grégoire, D. A., Ter Wal, A. L. J., Little, L. M., Bermiss, S., Kotha, R. and Gruber, M. (2024). ‘Mobilizing new sources of data: Opportunities and recommendations’. Academy of Management Journal, 67, 289–298. 

Hällgren, M., Geiger, D., Rouleau, L., Sutcliffe, K. M. and Vaara, E. (2025). ‘Organizing and strategizing in and for extreme contexts: Temporality, emotions, and embodiment’. Journal of Management Studies, 62, 1063–1086. 

Henisz, W. J., Mansfield, E. D. and Von Glinow, M. A. (2010). ‘Conflict, security, and political risk: International business in challenging times’. Journal of International Business Studies, 41, 759–764. 

Hiatt, S. R. and Sine, W. D. (2014). ‘Clear and present danger: Planning and new venture survival amid political and civil violence’. Strategic Management Journal, 35, 773–785. 

Joseph, J., Maon, F., Uribe-Jaramillo, M. T., Katsos, J. E. and Lindgreen, A. (2025). ‘Business, conflict, and peace: A systematic literature review and conceptual framework’. Journal of Management Studies, 62, 1779–1810. 

Klüppel, L. M., Pierce, L. and Snyder, J. A. (2018). ‘The deep historical roots of organization and strategy: Traumatic shocks, culture, and institutions’. Organization Science, 29, 702–721. 

Koch‐Bayram, I. F. and Wernicke, G. (2018). ‘Drilled to obey? Ex‐military CEOs and financial misconduct’. Strategic Management Journal, 39, 2943–2964. 

Li, C., Arikan, I., Shenkar, O., and Arikan, A. (2020). ‘The impact of country-dyadic military conflicts on market reactions to cross-border acquisitions’. Journal of International Business Studies, 51, 299–325. 

Lumineau, F. and Keller, A. (2025). ‘War as a phenomenon of inquiry in management studies’. Journal of Management Studies, forthcoming. 

Luo, Y. (2024). ‘Paradigm shift  and theoretical implications for the era of global disorder’. Journal of International Business Studies, 55, 127–135.  

Luo, Y. and Tung, R. L. (2025). ‘A multipolar geo-strategy for international business’. Journal of International Business Studies, forthcoming. 

Luo, Y. and Van Asche, A. (2023). ‘The rise of techno-geopolitical uncertainty: Implications of the United States CHIPS and Science Act’. Journal of International Business Studies, 54, 1423–1440. 

Meyer, K. E., Fang, T., Panibratov, A. Y., Peng, M. W. and Gaur, A. (2023). ‘International business under sanctions’. Journal of World Business, 58, 101426. 

Moura, S. T. G., Lawton, T. C. and Tobin, D. (2025). ‘How do multinational enterprises respond to geopolitics? A review and research agenda’. International Journal of Management Reviews, forthcoming. 

Oh, C. H. and Oetzel, J. (2017). ‘Once bitten twice shy? Experience managing violent conflict risk and MNC subsidiary-level investment and expansion’. Strategic Management Journal, 38, 714–731. 

Rauch, M. (2025). ‘Between war and peace: How boredom shapes the enactment of idealized futures in extreme contexts’. Academy of Management Journal, forthcoming. 

Rauch, M. and Ansari, S. (2025). ‘Reframing silence as purposeful: Emotions in extreme contexts’. Journal of Management Studies, 62, 1191–1219. 

Vergne, J.-P. (2012). ‘Stigmatized categories and public disapproval of organizations: A mixed-method study of the global arms industry, 1996-2007’. Academy of Management Journal, 55, 1027–1052. 

Wickert, C., Post, C., Doh, J. P., Prescott, J. E. and Prencipe, A. (2021). ‘Management research that makes a difference: Broadening the meaning of impact’. Journal of Management Studies, 58, 297–320. 

Witt, M. (2019). ‘De-globalization: Theories, predictions, and opportunities for international business research’. Journal of International Business Studies, 50, 1053–1077.