All firms operate within competitive and institutional landscapes that are shaped and framed by government. However, firms have the power to help shape the role of government through non-market strategy, both to protect their own interests and to help improve the efficacy of the public-private partnership. Furthermore, managers must navigate the complex intersection between business objectives and the values, norms, and expectations of the societies in which they operate. Increasingly, challenges related to the global economy, geopolitics, technology competition and climate change require organizations to adapt their strategies. Understanding these trends and the trade-offs they highlight can help managers better shape strategies at the intersection of public and private sectors.

Tarek Ghani is an Assistant Professor of Strategy at Washington University’s Olin Business School, Nonresident Fellow of the Brookings Institution’s Global Economy and Development Program, and former Chief Economist of the International Crisis Group. He holds a Ph.D. from University of California, Berkeley and a B.S. from Stanford University