Evolution of economic security institutions: integrating international standards for strategic risk management in global contexts

Abstract

The resurgence of geopolitical rivalry and the securitization of economic exchange have reshaped the institutional foundations of economic security bodies worldwide. This article explores how such bodies are adapting to new forms of geopolitical risk, integrating international standards into their governance architectures while maintaining national resilience. Drawing on critical geopolitics, inductive interpretative inquiry, and substantive rationality, this study investigates the mechanisms by which states mediate economic vulnerability through institutional adaptation. Integrative literature review methods and comparative case synthesis support the analysis. Findings reveal that policy convergence among major economies is driven by both reactive measures (such as “de-risking” supply chains) and proactive initiatives to reshape trade and investment corridors. However, institutional inertia, fragmented competences, and uneven risk governance still challenge coherence. The paper highlights the shifting interplay between stateled geoeconomics and market logic, offering a critical understanding of how geopolitical risk is internalized into economic strategy. This study advances the emerging scholarship on economic security by contextualizing institutional transformation as both cause and consequence of global turbulence. It concludes by proposing a policy-oriented agenda for recalibrating economic governance considering systemic risks.