Competence Center for Black Sea Region Studies develops political Risk Management Tool for Enterprises

Internationally oriented enterprises are increasingly opting for markets outside the EEA. To Austrian enterprises, the states around the Black Sea are of particular interest.

This region, however, is characterised by political instability. What do enterprises thus require to succeed in this area of conflict of economic expansion, emerging markets, and far-reaching political instability?

This question has been answered by the experts of the Competence Center for Black Sea Region Studies of the FH BFI Vienna: business economist Johannes Leitner, and political scientist Hannes Meissner have developed a political risk management tool (STRATOS).

This instrument supports managers in developing an ideal strategy to minimise negative effects through analysing and assessing political risk factors.

“Sustainable risk management enables enterprises to make use of the growth potential of risky markets without neglecting political risks“, observes Dr. Johannes Leitner, who as the head of the Competence Centre Black Sea Region at the FH bfi Vienna and STRATOS leader looks into the economic and political situation of the region.

“So far the Austrian scientific community has hardly dealt with political risk, but the demand for know-how is growing. With STRATOS we have an instrument ideally suited to inform enterprises about risks and possible solutions“, Leitner goes on to say.

For information to immediately reach the enterprises, the team of experts around Leitner organises events and workshops. Publications on current demands are directed at both practitioners and scientists.

STRATOS Project team

Project leader Johannes Leitner, a business economist, is an expert on Political Risk Management. His research focus is on the effects of formal and informal institutions on international enterprises.

Senior Researcher Hannes Meissner, a political scientist, is also an expert on political risk focussing on the post-Soviet region and Central Asia.

In December, the two scholars published the edited volume State Capture, Political Risks and International Business: Cases from Black Sea Region Countries“ at Routledge.

Competence Center for Black Sea Region Studies and University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna (Fachhochschule des BFI Wien)

The Competence Center for Black Sea Region Studies at the FH BFI Vienna was founded in 2012, and is an interdisciplinary institution intended for teaching and research about the Black Sea Region. It is the aim of the Competence Center to contribute to a better understanding of the Black Sea region through scholar research and analysis.

Cooperations with enterprises facilitate the solutions required by Austria’s economy in order to succeed in the politically dynamic Black Sea region.

With its eight bachelor’s degree programmes, and its master’s degree programmes (among which one bachelor’s programme and three master’s programmes in English), as well as eight post-graduate programmes, the FH bfi Vienna offers a comprehensive portfolio in tertiary education. At the moment, there are 2,100 students at the FH BFI Vienna, with approximately 70% of them studying part-time.

Queries & Contact

Johannes Leitner
T: +43 1 720 12 86 968
johannes.leitner@fh-vie.ac.at

Emel Kis
Project marketing
T: +43 1 720 12 86 934
emel.kis@fh-vie.ac.at