Whether expanding into new, growing markets or sourcing raw materials from faraway countries, businesses are increasingly operating in a global environment that can be rewarding but at the same time risky. Nimble businesses that are prepared to adapt to the challenges of doing business in an unpredictable world can succeed, say several we spoke to.

Despite supply chain challenges, cultural barriers, and a worldwide pandemic now in its third year, Lithoz GmbH, the Vienna, Austria-based maker of ceramic 3D printers, announced in April an installation at a technical university in South Africa. The company, only 11 years old, now does business on every continent except Antarctica, says CEO Johannes Homa.