Global Business
The Myth of Putin as World Energy Czar Is Running Out of Gas
Media commentary suggests that Russia is using its energy resources to hold the rest of the world hostage. To the contrary, write Yale SOM’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian, Russia’s actions have devastated its own economy and undermined its status as an energy exporter.

Multinationals Can Have a Positive Local Impact—If They Face Enough Competition for Labor
The United Fruit Company had a reputation for manipulating governments and exploiting workers in Latin America. But Yale SOM’s Diana Van Patten found that in some areas, competition for workers led it to invest in local infrastructure, with long-lasting positive impacts.
Businesses Staying in Russia Are Underperforming the Market
A new analysis from Prof. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and his team suggests that the firms cutting ties with Russia are seeing markedly better shareholder returns.
Some of the Biggest Brands Are Leaving Russia. Others Just Can’t Quit Putin.
Since the invasion of Ukraine, Prof. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and his team have been tracking which companies have withdrawn from Russia, which are making partial moves, and which are staying put.
How Tesla’s Arrival in Germany Could Set Off a Labor Showdown
Tesla has resisted unionization in the United States. But in Germany, where the electric car maker launched a new Gigafactory this week, unions are powerful and anxious to maintain jobs in an electric future.
Why the Business Retreat from Russia Matters
Yale SOM leadership expert Jeffrey Sonnenfeld writes that companies’ moves to disengage from Russia can make a difference, pointing to the withdrawal of businesses from apartheid South Africa in the 1980s.
What Does the War in Ukraine Mean for Businesses?
We asked Prof. Paul Bracken, an expert on business and defense strategy, about the risks that corporate leaders should consider as the Russian invasion and the resulting sanctions unfold.
Our Top Stories from an Extraordinary Year
This year, many of our most-read articles examined aspects of two monumental events shaping society: the COVID-19 pandemic and the resurgent Black Lives Matter movement.
What’s the Danger from TikTok?
In September, under pressure from the Trump administration to sell its U.S. operations, the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok tentatively agreed to partner with Oracle. We asked Prof. Paul Bracken, an expert on strategy and technology, about the security threat from Chinese technology companies and how the conflict might play out.
The Borderlessness of Tech-Driven Media
Dayo Olopade ’15, a lead for film and television partnerships at Google, discusses the global disruption of production, distribution, and consumption of media around the world.
Buying and Selling Steel as the Global Supply Chain Frays
Bill Hutton ’83 describes how a U.S. manufacturer is adapting to pandemic lockdowns and seesawing supply and demand across a global supply chain.