Decoding the Impact of Economic Sanctions: A Comparative Analysis of Syria’s Appeal to Multinational Corporations Before and After the Civil War

Jueguen Romanos, Lucia

Decoding the Impact of Economic Sanctions: A Comparative Analysis of Syria’s Appeal to Multinational Corporations Before and After the Civil War

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10456/57603

Author(s)

Jueguen Romanos, Lucia

Date Issued

April 12, 2024

Abstract

In the last 13 years, Syria has faced a very complex geopolitical sphere characterized by an ongoing and brutal civil war and consequent international sanctions. Both, the civil war and the sanctions have had implications for not only the economy but also the business environment inside the country. This research paper explores the impact of the sanctions on Syria as a potential investment destination to multinational corporations (MNCs). My goal for the project was to study whether sanctions affected the business environment in Syria or not. In order to understand this, I utilized a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, including the Overall Attractiveness Analytical Framework (OAAF), a commonly used industry tool. Through an analysis of secondary data, including economic indicators and market reports, as well as primary data from international organizations, this research assesses the benefits, risks, and costs faced by MNCs operating or considering investment in Syria amidst the current sanctions regime. My hypothesis for this project was that sanctions had a negative impact on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and therefore MNCs in Syria since the start of the war. As predicted, my main findings suggest that sanctions have significantly constrained foreign investment in Syria due to the associated risks and costs of the war, and therefore, sanctions.

Major

International Studies

Business

Honors

Business and Economics, 2024

International Studies, 2024

First Reader(s)

Onyeiwu, Stephen Z.