International business policymaking for a “wicked” world

Matevž Rašković ()
Additional contact information
Matevž Rašković: Victoria University of Wellington

Journal of International Business Policy, 2022, vol. 5, issue 3, No 4, 353-362

Abstract: Abstract Many international business (IB) issues are “wicked”, requiring specific policymaking approaches and capabilities. COVID-19 has accentuated their wickedness, contributing also to global structural shifts, which pose significant challenges and opportunities for transformation policymaking. This commentary extends the second-generation wicked problem (WP) literature and proposes a third-generation WP approach focusing on morality and time, which have been often overlooked. Drawing on the WP literature, I propose three policymaking principles (i.e., time-sensitive logics, actioning a moral imperative, empathy, and reflexivity) and two types of meta-capabilities (i.e., resilience and entrepreneurial meta-capabilities). Time-sensitive logics sensitize decision-makers to cause-effect lags and help synch their approaches with governance, system and strategic policymaking logics. Actioning a moral imperative helps curb perverse managerial incentives to address only feasible WP parts. Empathy and reflexivity outline the importance of humanizing WPs and prompt decision-makers to reflect on their own mental models and biases when addressing WPs. Resilience meta-capabilities underscore anticipatory, coping, adaptive and transformative capabilities needed to address WPs in order to “bounce beyond adversity”. Entrepreneurial meta-capabilities outline five entrepreneurial policymaking elements suited for addressing WPs. These principles and meta-capabilities can guide policymakers and managers to better navigate the wickedness of COVID-19 and address WPs beyond it.

Keywords: wicked problems; morality; time; COVID-19; VUCA framework; international business policy; resilience (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s42214-021-00113-w Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pal:joibpo:v:5:y:2022:i:3:d:10.1057_s42214-021-00113-w

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.palgrave.com/gp/journal/42214

DOI: 10.1057/s42214-021-00113-w

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of International Business Policy is currently edited by Sarianna Lundan, Ari Van Assche and Anne Hoekman

More articles in Journal of International Business Policy from Palgrave Macmillan
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().