Your actual dependencies—the suppliers you can’t operate without, the customers who generate your revenue, the technology that powers your operations—determine your geopolitical exposure. Not your headquarters location. Not your brand identity.
Map those dependencies against two dimensions: How strategic is your sector in the eyes of governments? And which geopolitical bloc contains those dependencies?
The Four Exposure Types
The Strategic Dependency Map reveals four distinct profiles:
| Single-Bloc Dependencies | Cross-Bloc Dependencies | |
|---|---|---|
| Strategic Sector | THE PROTECTED (Low Risk) | THE EXPOSED (Maximum Risk) |
| Non-Strategic Sector | Traditional Business | THE FLEXIBLE (Medium Risk) |
What Each Position Means
- THE EXPOSED: Strategic sector + cross-bloc dependencies = maximum vulnerability. Being pulled apart by two gravitational centers.
- THE PROTECTED: Strategic sector + single-bloc = shielded from fracturing forces. Your clarity becomes competitive advantage.
- THE FLEXIBLE: Non-strategic + cross-bloc = flexibility today, but sectors get reclassified. Borrowed time.
- TRADITIONAL: Non-strategic + single-bloc = standard business economics apply. Geopolitics doesn’t touch you—yet.
This framework is part of a comprehensive geopolitical strategy analysis. Read the full Strategic Dependency Map on The Business Engineer.
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