Navigating Global Markets in Times of Political Uncertainty

By Jonas Bunte

Within the MSc (CE) Leadership & Corporate Management programme, the course Global Markets: Decision-Making under Political Uncertainty, taught by Jonas Bunte, addresses a challenge that has become central to contemporary economic life. Global markets are closely intertwined with political and regulatory developments, meaning that political uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, and institutional change increasingly shape decisions about investment, financing, supply chains, or market entry. The course begins from this observation and explores several key questions: How do political processes influence markets? Through which channels do political risks become economically relevant? And how can political signals be distinguished from ordinary market movements?

To examine these questions, the course combines concepts from international political economy with practical decision-making contexts drawn from business environments. Participants analyze political uncertainty and its effects on financing conditions, the political dimensions of international expansion and supply chains, the role of trade rules and regulations, and the ways financial markets anticipate political developments. Particular attention is also given to non-market strategies and collective forms of action in response to regulatory and political risks.

The course aims to help students develop analytical skills that are highly relevant across a wide range of professional settings. These include the ability to systematically distinguish political from economic risks, critically assess complex information environments, and translate political uncertainty into concrete decision problems. Students learn to interpret market indicators as potential political signals, reflect on decision strategies under uncertainty, and communicate political dynamics clearly to different stakeholders. Such competencies are especially valuable for careers in internationally operating firms, finance, consulting, and policy or risk analysis.

From a pedagogical perspective, the course is designed as an interactive mix of methods. Short, focused theoretical inputs are combined with case studies, group work, and structured discussions. Based on a preparatory survey, the content is tailored to participants' professional experiences and decision-making challenges. Reflection and analytical tools are integrated throughout the course to support the transfer of insights into students’ own professional contexts. In this way, the course creates a learning environment that connects academic perspectives with real-world decision-making.

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