Barriers to Bilateral Business Relations: The Case of Australia and Ukraine

Although bilateral business relations between Australia and Ukraine during the past two decades are relatively minimal, the recent peak in trade between the two countries raises the question about the future of greater economic cooperation. The objective of this paper is to provide an empirical examination of the differences in the business environments of Australia and Ukraine and how they could undermine the potential for further development of these relations. The aim is to explore the risks that Australian businesses experience while operating in non-traditional markets and the motivation to engage in such a highly volatile business environment. Twelve in depth interviews were conducted, of which nine were companies involved in business between Australia and Ukraine as well as three individuals who closely participate in fostering the bilateral business relations.