Patrik Ström

International services present a challenge for policy work. Their nature resists straightforward characterization, making it difficult to design effective and targeted policies. Research across international business, economic geography, and service management has also grappled with this complexity for years; yet a cohesive, unified, and actionable understanding of international service characteristics remains missing. We examine these complexities with the aim of identifying the central characteristics of international services and how they can be utilized in research and policy. Using three recognized core challenges in international services research as a point of departure, we develop an integrative framework that enables the characterization of all international services for research and policy purposes. The framework consists of four interconnected components: the connectivity of international services to their environment, the configuration of service activities within international organizational setups, the collaborative international interaction between global service actors, and the value creation of international services. We demonstrate how the framework serves as a conceptual tool for research and a practical guide for policy work. We advance international service management research with an interdisciplinary, cohesive, and actionable framework that enables the characterization of international services and policy by providing ways to shape effective global service policies.

The relationship between Japan and the EU has developed and matured over the last decades. It comprises both the complex economic relations that were recently formalized in the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), and the subsequent Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) that covers a broader set of political issues. Here, we are addressing the trade diplomacy interaction that has been associated with the long negotiation process between Japan and the EU. This article seeks to answer the following question: How has the geopolitical relationship between Japan and the EU evolved based on the context forming the EPA? The empirical section discusses the development that led to the establishment of the EPA and the SPA, as well as to the current relationship and additional agreements. Our findings suggest that the EPA has been central to the deepened political cooperation between Tokyo and Brussels, emphasizing the role of an FTA in contributing to the solidifying of a changing geopolitical order.

Decentralised finance (DeFi) is rapidly transforming financial services through the use of smart contracts and blockchain technology. The exponential growth of DeFi has attracted significant attention from both researchers and policymakers, highlighting its potential to disrupt traditional finance. However, regulating DeFi presents unique challenges due to its complexities around decentralisation, permissionless nature and trans-jurisdictional reach, creating governance difficulties reminiscent of those found in offshore jurisdictions. To conceptualise these issues, this article develops and applies a novel two-part analytical framework derived from the study of offshore finance. The framework integrates a mapping of core functional mechanisms (e.g., regulatory arbitrage, asset opacity) with a layered architectural model that distinguishes between a foundational settlement layer and an application layer where business entities operate. Our analysis reveals that while regulatory challenges manifest at the application layer, their persistence is enabled by the de-territorialised and competitive nature of the underlying settlement layer. The article contributes to financial geography by providing a robust analytical framework for DeFi, using it to deliver a nuanced analysis of its unique spatial dynamics, and drawing concrete, cautionary lessons for future regulation.