Geopolitiska spänningar och företags strategiska anpassning : En kvalitativ jämförande fallstudie mellan ett stort och ett mindre företag

Sammanfattning

The global business environment is increasingly shaped by geopolitical tensions, trade conflicts, sanctions, and growing uncertainty. This has made it more difficult for firms to rely on uniform global strategies and has increased the need to adapt sourcing and location strategies to changing political and regional conditions. This study analyses how geopolitical tensions affect firms of different sizes through a qualitative comparative case study of JYSK and Byggmax, based on semi-structured interviews and secondary data. The findings show that both firms are affected by geopolitical uncertainty, but that the effects and strategic adaptations differ. JYSK is mainly affected through its global and centralised supplier and logistics network, and manages risks through safety stocks, supplier governance, and the reallocation of flows between regions. Byggmax is more affected by cost-related and relational tensions and manages risks through close supplier collaboration, regional flexibility, and continuous price, purchasing, and inventory adjustments. The study therefore shows that geopolitical tensions also affect smaller and more regionally focused firms, although often in a more indirect way. At the same time, the study shows that the effects of geopolitics differ between firms depending on size, resources, and geographical scope, which influences how they manage risks and adapt their strategies.