Or­nela Vladi suc­cess­fully de­fen­ded her PhD dis­ser­ta­tion: 'Es­says on Re­si­li­ence Think­ing, Strategy and GVC Re­con­fig­ur­a­tion'

This PhD dissertation investigates how multinational corporations (MNCs) sustain competitiveness in an increasingly complex and uncertain business environment. Drawing on a rich dataset spanning two decades, it examines how firms reconfigure their global footprint and strategic scope across evolving institutional settings, while balancing efficiency and resilience. Through three interrelated studies, the dissertation advances an understanding of resilience in international business and identifies patterns of strategic reconfiguration. The findings show how MNCs adjust investment priorities and selectively expand or contract their geographic and product scope over time.

The thesis will be available from research.cbs.dk.
 

Primary Supervisor:
Professor Torben Juul Andersen
Department of International Economics, Government and Business, Copenhagen Business School

Secondary Supervisor:
Associate Professor Andreas Wieland
Department of Operations Management
Copenhagen Business School

Assessment Committee:
Professor with Special Responsibilities Max von Zedtwitz (Chair) 
Department of International Economics, Government and Business, Copenhagen Business School

Professor Marina Papanastassiou 
Department of International Business 
Leeds University Business School

Associate Professor Stefano Elia 
Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering Politecnico di Milano