Dr. Gunnar Leymann

Zur Person

Gunnar Leymann is a postdoctoral researcher at the Working Group International Management and Governance. In the past, he also worked as an external lecturer at the Jacobs University Bremen and developed an international business coursebook for the Apollon University of Health Management.

He was awarded his doctoral degree in 2019 for his research on the relationship between Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) and institutional change processes. The dissertation focused on a dynamic perspective on MNE theory that takes changing governance conditions into account. A core argument was that more dynamic governance environments pose difficulties for MNEs to commit to long-term investments. Such challenges can even occur when changes in governance dimensions are deemed as improving transaction costs. Thus, instead of viewing institutional reforms as a panacea for governance problems, the thesis highlights that dynamic reform processes are a notable governance problem, too.

Presently, he applies this framework to the sustainability transition, specifically climate change mitigation, that requires far-reaching reforms with uncertain outcomes for MNEs and governments. This offers some new perspectives for International Business research. In cooperation with researchers from Aalto University and Vaasa University, he works on establishing how MNEs manage transition risks. Another recent project focuses on the role of coastal energy hubs in International Business research.