CBS’ latest interdisciplinary research commitments

The CBS Business-in-Society platforms (BiS platforms) are CBS’ concept for engaging in knowledge production that is based on context-driven, problem-focused and interdisciplinary research that deals with the complex societal and business challenges facing our region.

CBS introduced the BiS platform concept in 2011 and since then five BiS platforms have been established. Based on an evaluation of the BiS platform concept in 2016, CBS’ Board decided that the concept should continue which resulted in the establishment of the three new BiS platforms:

Diversity & Difference
The purpose of the Diversity & Difference BiS Platform is to consolidate, advance and disseminate research on diversity and difference in order to make CBS a central hub for international diversity and difference research as well as a center of expertise that can assist policy makers, business leaders and government representatives in complex matters of diversity and its management. The platform’s members will among other things be covering the following thematic areas: 1) Culture and Language, 2) Gender and Sexuality, 3) Migration and Integration, 4) Leadership and the Professions, 5) Education and 6) Teams and Networks.
Academic directors: Dorte Lønsmann (Department of Management, Society and Communication), Sara Louise Muhr (Department of Organization)
Involved departments: Department of Digitalization, Department of International Economics and Management, Department of Management, Society and Communication and Department of Organization

Inequality
Economic inequality is rising in many countries throughout the world through for example increasing differences between the top and the bottom of the income distribution. While some degree of inequality can create incentives for work, innovation, and entrepreneurship, it is increasingly recognised that inequality may also have a dark side which potentially undermines economic growth, leads to mass migration across borders, harms upward social mobility etc. The Inequality Platform addresses the causes and consequences of inequality at a Danish, European, and global level in dimensions relating to companies (e.g., wages, working conditions, and employment), economics (e.g., labour markets, health, and migration), and politics (e.g. EU regulations and redistributive politics).
Academic directors: Mogens Kamp Justesen (Department of Business and Politics) & Birthe Larsen (Department of Economics)
Involved departments: Department of Business and Politics, Department of Economics, Department of International Economics and Management, and Department of Management, Society and Communication

Transformations
The BiS Transformations Platform focuses on the implications of digital and other technological developments for economic and societal transformations. The platform aims to bring together CBS researchers and external partners in exploring issues such as organisational transformations in the digital age, transformations of business models, technology and socio-economic transformations, knowledge production and digital transformations and digital transformations in media and communications. By supporting initiatives across research, funding, teaching and outreach, the platform will give momentum to CBS’ engagement with the opportunities and challenges posed by digital transformations.
Academic directors: Mikkel Flyverbom (Department of Management, Society and Communication), Ioanna Constantiou (Department of Digitalization)
Involved departments: Department of Digitalization, Department of Management, Society and Communication, Department of Business and Politics, Department of Marketing, Department of Organization, Department of Economics and Department of Innovation and Organizational Economics
The new BiS platforms commenced their activities on 1 January 2018 and will run for a five-year period. Besides the three new BiS platforms CBS also has the CBS Maritime Platform. CBS Maritime started 1 January 2014 and will end its period with central CBS funding by the end of 2018.

Seed money for cross-disciplinary research
Besides the establishment of three new BiS Platforms, Senior Management has also decided to allocate seed money to the following cross-disciplinary research areas:
•    Circular Economy lead by Associate Professor Steen Vallentin (MPP) and Associate Professor Jesper Clement (MARKTG) with involvement from several other departments at CBS
•    Tax lead by Associate Professor Duncan Wigan (DBP) and Associate Professor Michael Tell (LAW) with involvement from several other departments at CBS
•    CBS Africa initiative lead by Associate Professor Søren Jeppesen (MSC) and with involvement from several other departments at CBS

Previous BiS platforms
 
Sustainability Platform: 2011-2016. The platform continues activities funded by three departments from CBS (DBP, MSC & MPP). Now named CBS Sustainability.

Public-Private Platform: 2011-2016. Continues their activities funded by five departments from CBS (IOA, MPP, LAW, MSC and DBP). Now named CBS Public-Private.

Entrepreneurship Platform: 2013-2017. Entrepreneurship is still a focus area at CBS alongside Innovation (CBS’ Strategic Transformational Initiative Entrepreneurship & Innovation).

Competitiveness Platform: 2013-2017. CBS Competitiveness continues as a network.
All externally financed projects will continue throughout 2018.