Managing Political Risk in Global Business: Beiersdorf 1914-1990

This working paper examines corporate strategies of political risk management during the twentieth century. It focuses especially on Beiersdorf, a German-based pharmaceutical and skin care company.

During World War 1 the expropriation of its brands and trademarks revealed its vulnerability to political risk. Following the advent of the Nazi regime in 1933, the largely Jewish owned and managed company, faced a uniquely challenging combination of home and host country political risk.

This paper reviews the firms's responses to these adverse circumstances and the challenges and costs faced by the company in recovering the ownership of its brands.