On Stranger Tides A Longitudinal Single-Case Study of A.P. Møller – Mærsk’s Strategic Response and Adaptation to Geopolitical Risk

Sammanfattning

As the global economy fragments and geopolitical disruptions become increasingly frequent, understanding how firms strategically respond and adapt to these disruptions becomes critical. This thesis examines how A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/S has responded to geopolitical risk over time, and how these responses are indicative of organizational learning and adaptive capability development. Through a longitudinal single-case study of Maersk’s annual reports from 2003-2025, the thesis analyzes how geopolitical risks are presented, what impacts are identified, and which strategic responses are described across the studied period. In doing so, the thesis connects geopolitical risk, institutional pressures, organizational learning, the Resource-Based View, and dynamic capabilities through observable firm-level behavior. The findings indicate that Maersk’s responses to geopolitical risk have developed from event-specific. reactions toward more integrated and routinized forms of risk management and strategic adaptation. This is reflected in the firm’s recurring emphasis on compliance, financial hedging, network flexibility, integrated logistics, supply chain resilience, and contingency planning. While the study does not reflect internal managerial processes, the development and routinization of these responses are suggestive of cumulative organizational learning and adaptive capability development. This thesis contributes to the literature on geopolitical risk and firm strategy by examining how a multinational logistics firm exposed to persistent external uncertainty appears to adapt its strategic responses over time.