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Turning Boycott into a Sustainable Opportunity: Leveraging Boycott to Boost Local Production and Enhance Local Market Competitiveness in Egypt

While existing literature largely concentrates on the consumer behavior dimensions of boycotts, limited attention has been paid to their structural economic implications for FDI and local production. This paper frames the 2023 boycott campaign as a demand shock in Egypt’s food and beverages sector....

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Main Author: Maher, Alaa
Format: Thesis
Published: AUC Knowledge Fountain 2026
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access_status_str Open Access
author Maher, Alaa
author_browse Maher, Alaa
author_facet Maher, Alaa
author_sort Maher, Alaa
collection Thesis
description While existing literature largely concentrates on the consumer behavior dimensions of boycotts, limited attention has been paid to their structural economic implications for FDI and local production. This paper frames the 2023 boycott campaign as a demand shock in Egypt’s food and beverages sector. Dependency theory is applied to assess the pre-boycott stage, where MNCs’ market power created structural dependencies within the sector. Dynamic capabilities theory is employed to explain the heterogeneity in firm responses during the boycott and their attempts to acquire sustainable market share. Using a multi-case study design, qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted across 16 firms in the sector, accounting for variations in firm size and maturity stage. The study explores the perceptions of senior managers and operators regarding the boycott-induced demand surges and how it altered the market dynamics. It also examines the strategic decisions implemented in key functional areas to enhance firm growth and competitiveness. Findings reveal that sales and/or brand visibility of participating firms have improved during the boycott. Strategic decisions have been witnessed in firm expansion, product and value proposition, marketing and branding, supplier substitution, hiring, and increased localization efforts. Insights of the study are then utilized to develop a policy framework integrating firm-level adaptation with national strategic goals of import substitution and strengthening local production.
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institution American University in Cairo (Egypt)
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:36:04.810Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from AUC Knowledge Fountain — bepress
publishDate 2026
publishDateRange 2026
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spelling oai:fount.aucegypt.edu:etds-3823 Turning Boycott into a Sustainable Opportunity: Leveraging Boycott to Boost Local Production and Enhance Local Market Competitiveness in Egypt Maher, Alaa While existing literature largely concentrates on the consumer behavior dimensions of boycotts, limited attention has been paid to their structural economic implications for FDI and local production. This paper frames the 2023 boycott campaign as a demand shock in Egypt’s food and beverages sector. Dependency theory is applied to assess the pre-boycott stage, where MNCs’ market power created structural dependencies within the sector. Dynamic capabilities theory is employed to explain the heterogeneity in firm responses during the boycott and their attempts to acquire sustainable market share. Using a multi-case study design, qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted across 16 firms in the sector, accounting for variations in firm size and maturity stage. The study explores the perceptions of senior managers and operators regarding the boycott-induced demand surges and how it altered the market dynamics. It also examines the strategic decisions implemented in key functional areas to enhance firm growth and competitiveness. Findings reveal that sales and/or brand visibility of participating firms have improved during the boycott. Strategic decisions have been witnessed in firm expansion, product and value proposition, marketing and branding, supplier substitution, hiring, and increased localization efforts. Insights of the study are then utilized to develop a policy framework integrating firm-level adaptation with national strategic goals of import substitution and strengthening local production. 2026-06-01T07:00:00Z thesis application/pdf https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/2764 https://fount.aucegypt.edu/context/etds/article/3823/viewcontent/Alaa_Ali_Thesis.pdf Theses and Dissertations AUC Knowledge Fountain boycott Gaza war local production SMEs dependency MNCs FDI dynamic capabilities strategic decisions food and beverages Public Policy
spellingShingle boycott
Gaza war
local production
SMEs
dependency
MNCs
FDI
dynamic capabilities
strategic decisions
food and beverages
Public Policy
Maher, Alaa
Turning Boycott into a Sustainable Opportunity: Leveraging Boycott to Boost Local Production and Enhance Local Market Competitiveness in Egypt
title Turning Boycott into a Sustainable Opportunity: Leveraging Boycott to Boost Local Production and Enhance Local Market Competitiveness in Egypt
title_full Turning Boycott into a Sustainable Opportunity: Leveraging Boycott to Boost Local Production and Enhance Local Market Competitiveness in Egypt
title_fullStr Turning Boycott into a Sustainable Opportunity: Leveraging Boycott to Boost Local Production and Enhance Local Market Competitiveness in Egypt
title_full_unstemmed Turning Boycott into a Sustainable Opportunity: Leveraging Boycott to Boost Local Production and Enhance Local Market Competitiveness in Egypt
title_short Turning Boycott into a Sustainable Opportunity: Leveraging Boycott to Boost Local Production and Enhance Local Market Competitiveness in Egypt
title_sort turning boycott into a sustainable opportunity leveraging boycott to boost local production and enhance local market competitiveness in egypt
topic boycott
Gaza war
local production
SMEs
dependency
MNCs
FDI
dynamic capabilities
strategic decisions
food and beverages
Public Policy
url https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/2764
https://fount.aucegypt.edu/context/etds/article/3823/viewcontent/Alaa_Ali_Thesis.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT maheralaa turningboycottintoasustainableopportunityleveragingboycotttoboostlocalproductionandenhancelocalmarketcompetitivenessinegypt