The PhD Thesis entitled "Regulatory discretion and investment and disinvestment decisions abroad", defended by Laura Fernández-Méndez at the University of Oviedo last year, has been awarded with the "Emerald Best International Dissertation Award" of the Academy of Management, a leading international scientific association in the field of Business Management. The award provides recognition to the theses that contribute to acquire further knowledge about business internationalization with new knowledge and/or creative methods or models.

The thesis, directed by Full Professor of Business Management Esteban García-Canal, analyzes the influence of the political scene of the country on the investment and disinvestment decisions abroad. In particular, the thesis is focused on the regulatory discretion –the ability of the government to change the "rules of the game"-, and highlights the role of international companies in regulated sectors.

Laura Fernández-Méndez, former researcher of the Department of Business Administration of the University of Oviedo, is currently working as a professor of Business Management at the Comillas Pontifical University (ICADE).