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BSc in International Business and Politics
About the programme
Firms and institutions constantly have to face many new and intense challenges. In recent years, for example, issues associated with inequalities, sustainability, gender and race have become prominent. BSc IBP considers these challenges and looks at the ways they are changing the relationships between businesses, governments, international organisations, and civil society organisations. The programme will prepare you to tackle them.
BSc IBP interweaves training in political economy, economic theories, and core business studies subjects. You will also learn both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, including how to craft an independent research project and conduct an analysis. BSc IBP students are known for their capacity to both ‘dig in’ to produce fine-grained analyses, as well as being about to ‘zoom out’ and locate the broader context for how business operates in our society and across societies.
Understanding political economy
The BSc IBP considers the ways in which political and economic systems are always linked. Our starting point is that if you want to do business then you need to know how governments works, and if you want to govern then you need to know how business works. You will learn about formal political systems as well as the ways in which politics shape markets, institutions, and the environment for business. Many courses in IBP examine the relationship between regulation and markets. This includes how rules and standards are fought over, how they inform business strategies, and how interactions between regulation and markets create winners and losers. You will learn to analyze these interactions at both the domestic and international levels, exploring how businesses and governments navigate them, as well as understanding their political and economic consequences.
Understanding business
You will learn how to analyse a company and its activities and consider how firms develop and implement strategies in national and international business settings. You will gain an understanding of companies from both an economic and an organisational point of view. This includes strategy and decision-making to optimize quality and product innovation, on pricing and market tactics, and the development of risk profiles. You will also study organisational behaviour, that is, how people act within a company including how they deal with ethical dilemmas and questions of diversity. This is important. For example, the leadership style of a CEO can have an influence on organisational culture, which can further impact employee motivation, and therefore lead ultimately to an increase or decrease in employee productivity.
Understanding economic foundations
A firm must always take the economic context in which it operates into account. If there for example is a recession or inflation, it can change purchasing patterns, which can in turn have effects on production, employment, incomes and the pricing of products. You need certain tools to understand the character of markets and the potential impact of government economic policies. BSc IBP gives you these tools and a broader understanding of supply and demand, as well as markets, inflation, exchange rates and trade policy.
Hear students share their insights about BSc IBP
Hear students at BSc IBP share some experiences and their thoughts about the programme.
To study BSc IBP successfully and be happy with the programme it would be useful to be interested in:
- the complexities of globally oriented companies and the global markets in which they operate.
- politics, political economy and political regulation in a global context.
- not just the individual fields of study, business, politics and economics – but especially in how they relate to and impact one another. This includes how politics and political regulation impact industries and companies, how economic and political factors impact each other and how companies, NGOs and the public sector interact and affect each other.
BSc IBP has some particular challenges that are important to think about before you choose the programme. How well do these challenges correspond to the sort of person you are, how you like to work and the things you are good at?
Ambitious study environment
Some students experience the study environment at BSc IBP as quite ambitious. Certainly, students tend to focus on their results and achievements in the programme as well as in other areas of their lives. At the same time, students are helpful and supportive towards each other and tend to consider each other as future colleagues and network. It may be a good idea to consider if you would thrive and feel comfortable in such an environment.
Abstract theories
In parts of the programme you will work with quite abstract and diverse theories. You need to be comfortable working in an academic and analytical way with topics that are very complex and where your studies sometimes lead you to more questions than answers.
Courses within different areas
BSs IBP courses moves across areas of political economy, economics, and business studies. It is a lot to learn and it may take some time before you fully understand how the different courses and topics relate to one another. Often it is not until the second or third year that everything comes together in your head and you get a clear picture of all the aspects of the programme’s scope. As a BSc IBP student you therefore need to be open to feeling a little confused and not yet seeing the full picture for the first semesters of the programme.
International study environment
Even though the programme has a very international focus the share of international students is usually not as high as in most of the other CBS programmes taught in English. This is worth thinking about if an international study environment is an important factor in your choice of study.
Maths as a tool
In about half of the mandatory courses in BSc IBP you will use maths as a tool. You will not use maths that is complicated beyond the entry requirement for the programme, but you need to be comfortable having courses where you use maths and do calculations at a practical level.
Data science skills
Some of the teaching in BSc IBP requires you to learn basic coding. You will learn to work with R which is a system that can be used for both qualitative and quantitative work, ranging from content and text analysis applications to advanced statistical analysis. Learning R can be a bit difficult and frustrating but you will get the support you need to develop the skills so that you can use it for you research in all other areas. You do not need any previous coding experience.
Studying in English
If you are not used to studying in English or if you are not a native speaker, we recommend that you read more about what to consider before applying for an English-taught programme.
See Studying in English on Student Life
Hear a student guidance councellor share some challenges and considerations you should be aware of before applying to BSc IBP.
What is it like to study at BSc IBP?
Hear students share some thoughts on the class environment, and how CBS and Copenhagen offers a great work-life balance with many social and academic possibilities.
Competencies after BSc IBP
BSc IBP provides you with core business competencies and interdisciplinary training to place business dynamics in a broad political, economic and social context. The degree provides you with the competence to:
- locate socio-economic, macro-economic, and political changes
- analyse firms’ market and non-market strategies
- understand the logics behind economic and managerial behaviour
- interpret corporate accounts and financial statements,
- develop their analytic skills via quantitative and qualitative methodologies.
The programme promotes critical, independent thinking and fosters a reflexive approach towards data
You can find more information about what you learn on the programme in the Competence profile for IBP
Master's programme after BSc IBP
The clear majority of students from BSc IBP continue to a two-years master’s programme for a total of five years of study. It is very much the master’s rather than the bachelor programme that determines which career paths that lay open to you.
Most BSc IBP graduates tend to end up in private or public companies or organisations with an international profile – but they work within many different fields of business, economics, politics and regulation. Read more about master’s programmes and career options.
Hear a student guidance counsellor give insights to how you can create your own profile as well as share thoughts on career options and master's programmes.
English - language requirement | A |
English - specific entry requirement | B with min. 6.0 grade average (Danish scale) |
Mathematics | B |
Social Studies OR International Economics OR History of Ideas OR Contemporary History | B |
Motivational essay | Yes - See Selection quotas |
Read about entry requirements and how to apply at bachelor admission.
Grade point average | 10.6 |
Number of enrolled students | 126 |
Quota 1 / Quota 2 | 60% / 40% |
Applicants (quota 2) | 1223 (1057) |
Foreign students | 44% |
Gender distribution - men / women | 60% / 40% |
Average age | 21,4 year |
Oversigt over uddannelsen
Political Science
The course focuses on core concepts, theories, and debates in political science, political economy and international relations. It considers institutions, processes, actors, and ideas across different settings as well as theories about the ways in which political systems work at a national and international level.
The course also introduces students to basic assignment-writing techniques, in particular the construction of structured arguments. These are skills that are relevant in academic studies and business careers.
In relation to Nordic Nine
IBP Political Science addresses the transformational capabilities specified in CBS's Nordic Nine. In particular, the course seeks to place business knowledge within a broad context (N1), emphasizes analytical approaches to date and fosters curiosity about inherent ambiguities (N2), develops critical thinking and constructive forms of collaboration when working on tasks and projects (N6) .
Learning Objectives
- Identify, analyze and evaluate core concepts, models and theories used in the study of politics
- Identify, analyze and evaluate key institutional features of modern political systems at national and international levels
- Relate concepts, models and theories to empirical evidence
- Compare political institutions, processes and outcomes in different countries and regions
- Construct and sustain coherent and structured arguments in a well-reasoned manner using theories, approaches and methods drawn from the social sciences and based upon an understanding of competing perspectives
ECTS
15
Macroeconomics
The aim of this course is to provide students with an introduction to macroeconomics. The course focuses on the behavior of the economy in the short-run, medium-run, and long-run, specifically looking at the goods market, the financial market and the labor market. The course is designed to help students understand how these markets operate, how they interact with each other, and how they are impacted by shocks and macroeconomic policies. Students also learn to apply the theories to the real world and think critically about recent macroeconomic developments.
In relation to Nordic Nine
This course provides students with knowledge about the economic environment in which businesses operate, e.g. related to inflation, economic growth and unemployment (NN1). Students reflect on societal challenges such as technological change and inequality and learn to apply economic thinking to address these challenges (NN4). More generally, the course encourages thinking critically about the usefulness of economic theories for solving real-world problems (NN6). Students also learn about intergenerational conflicts e.g. related to taxation and government debt, and how these challenge the prosperity of present and future generations (NN7).
Learning Objectives
- Explain basic macroeconomic terminology (e.g. "growth", "recession", "natural unemployment" etc.) in a comprehensive way.
- Describe and explain the assumptions and mechanisms of the main macroeconomic models (e.g. the IS-LM model, the IS-LM-PC model, the Solow growth model, etc.). Illustrate these models graphically and solve them algebraically.
- Describe how GDP is determined in the short run, the medium run and the long run. Explain how GDP is affected by shocks.
- Describe the main determinants of other important macroeconomic variables such as inflation, unemployment, real wage, interest rate etc. Explain how these macroeconomic variables are affected by shocks.
- Perform policy experiments (e.g., changes in government spending or changes in money supply). Interpret the mechanisms verbally and graphically, and solve algebraically.
ECTS
7.5
International Economics
This course offers a detailed introduction to international economics. We study several trade theories with the goal of explaining why international trade takes place, what are the benefits of international trade, and in what patterns countries trade with each other.
We also study trade policy tools and their implications for market equilibrium (prices and quantities), social welfare (gross national product) and the distribution of welfare (inequality).
In relation to Nordic Nine
International Economics provides you with the ability to think about economic relationships between nations from an economic perspective and aligned with several Nordic Nine values.
You will learn how to formulate and answer fundamental economic and policy questions related to economic relations across nations using an analytical approach. You will develop models, assess the plausibility of their assumptions and the empirical validity of their predictions. You will understand the limitations of the models, and their usefulness to understand distinct historical episodes and different societal contexts. (NN1, NN2, NN6, NN8).
You will learn how to approach key societal challenges and ethical dilemmas with rigor and clarity by identifying and articulating the tradeoffs (both from an aggregate and a distributional perspective) entailed by economic decisions and policies (NN3, NN4, NN5).
Learning Objectives
- Explain basic concepts in International Economics in a comprehensive and intuitive way.
- Describe and rationalize the main assumptions behind trade models.
- Perform policy experiments based on trade models.
- Illustrate diagrammatically these models and perform analysis of patterns of trade, gains from trade and redistributive effects of trade.
- Solve algebraically simple trade models in order to determine the equilibrium economic variables.
ECTS
7.5
Comparative Political Economy
The Comparative Political Economy (CPE) course introduces students to the comparative approach to understanding modern capitalism and drivers of political, economic, and social differences between societies. The course is structured around key theories and approaches for the comparison of Firms, Economies, and People. This includes theories and approaches that locate the comparative political economy of corporate governance structures, macroeconomic regimes and growth models, as well as welfare regimes and household policies.
Students will learn comparative method and the use of typology, as well as prominent theoretical traditions that offer explanations for why capitalism looks different in different societies. The strengths and weaknesses of these approaches will be explored through a series of cases in advanced capitalist societies structured around the key themes of Firms, Economies, and People. Students will learn how policies for corporate governance, financialization, macroeconomic policy, welfare, and household economies are developed in different societies.
Students will develop an essay that provides the basis for a group oral exam. The essay will apply two theories/approaches from the course to a case from their own independent research, reflecting on the benefits and deficiencies of the theories/approaches in light of the comparative empirics. Through the comparative method and typology the CPE course provides students with the means to analyze topics of relevance to government-business relations.
The CPE course supports Nordic Nine 4, “competitive in business and compassionate in society” by highlighting social and economic structural disadvantages while promoting business-minded solutions.
In relation to Nordic Nine
The Comparative Political Economy course supports the Nordic Nine
values in providing the means to understand and explain the social and politico-economic
structures that replicate both prosperity and inequality over generations (NN7), as well as
how some disadvantages can be addressed with business-minded solutions (NN4). The
course’s focus on comparative methodology supports both critical thinking and to locate
business in a broad context (NN1). The course format supports critical thinking and
constructive collaborations between students in providing a research-led assignment in
preparation for the group oral exam.
Learning Objectives
At the end of the course students are expected to be able to:
- Understand key contemporary Comparative Political Economy theories and approaches.
- Distinguish, differentiate, and analyze these theories and approaches through an application to a case based on the student’s independent research.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the main trends and dynamics in the maintenance and transformation of advanced capitalist societies.
ECTS
7.5
Electives / Exchange / Internship (30 ECTS)
In the 5th semester, you can take electives at CBS or other universities, go on exchange or do an internship in a company.
Bachelor Project
This capstone project is the conclusion of the BSc in International Business and Politics. It is an independent project, written under supervision, and students can pursue their own interests within the broad area of international business and politics. Projects can pursue a purely theoretical question, or they can focus on an action- or policy-oriented problem, or they can pose problems that combine such elements. The supervisor will be assigned based on the subject area of the project.
Approximately 3 weeks before hand-in a bachelor student conference is held. It is intended to help you to critically reflect upon the content and set-up of your thesis, allow you to practice presenting the main ideas of your thesis to an audience talking about methodological, theoretical and analytical matters in a coherent way. You are expected to participate in the bachelor student conference.
In relation to Nordic Nine
Depending on the student's concentration, the IBP bachelor project can cover all nine transformational capabilities of the Nordic Nine or various combinations thereof (NN1–9). Across different projects, however, the majority of students will be working with and being assessed on their skills in processing data analytically, and especially their sensitivity to ambiguity (NN2). At the same time, regardless of the project's focus, all students receive training in the capacity to critically reflect on their work and engage with others through cluster supervision and the bachelor student conference (NN6).
Learning Objectives
- Independently formulate and justify research questions.
- Select, combine and apply relevant concepts and theories in relation to specified research questions.
- Select and use relevant quantitative or qualitative methods to answer such research questions.
- Identify and use relevant scholarly literature.
- Formulate and present (orally and in writing) coherently argued answers, combining theory, methodology and data, to the research questions posed.
- Reflect critically on the choice of methods and data as well as the quality of the answers produced.
ECTS
15
Applied Microeconomics
This course provides an introduction to microeconomic theory and how economic markets function: it describes what lies behind the notions of demand and supply. Emphasis is placed on the behavioral and technological assumptions that generate product demand and supply, and on market competition and regulation. We also explore important extensions to the basic decision model such as game theory and uncertainty. The main topics in the curriculum are:
- Supply and Demand
- Consumer theory: preferences, rationality assumptions, budgetary constraints
- Extensions: Game Theory, Externalities
- Producer theory: production and costs functions
- Market structure: perfect competition, monopoly, etc.
Practical Application of Theory
In each main topic the theory is exemplified with economic problems and issues. We will discuss how one can use microeconomic theory to evaluate tax and labor market policies with macro-economic implications.
Relation to a Business or an Institutional Setting
We consider in depth how different market structures infuence decisions by producers and consumers. We also emphasize how governments design institutions to correct market imperfections.
Relation to International Business or Economics
Several examples from the international business area are considered. Examples will be drawn particularly from U.S., Canada and Europe.
Research Based Teaching
Issues which are currently under debate in economic research are presented when relevant. In particular, we will discuss the limits of neoclassical models and how the research frontier confronts those limits.
Relation to Nordic Nine
Applied microeconomics will provide you with an introduction to the economic way of thinking, which aligns with several Nordic Nine values.
-You will learn how to approach different and potentially ambiguous problems with an analytical mindset: formulating hypotheses and models, testing them using data, and revising and questioning models and their assumptions whenever they fall short in explaining the real world (NN1, NN2, NN8).
-You will learn how to approach key human challenges and ethical dilemmas with intellectual rigor and honesty: carefully identifying and considering the tradeoffs and unintended consequences of economic decisions and policies, and considering solutions through positive (instead of normative) lenses (NN3, NN5).
- You will acquire a toolkit to explore how economic agents optimize consumption and production of goods, and how they interact in markets. But the very same analytical tools can be used to understand other important aspects of our society, such as the role of people’s other-regarding preferences for their decisions, and the importance of comparative advantages, skills specialization, and returns to scale from cooperation (NN4, NN6).
Learning Objectives
- Explain basic economic terminology (e.g. opportunity costs, equilibrium behavior, etc.) in a comprehensive and intuitive way.
- Describe and rationalize the main assumptions behind simple economic models and analyze the role that those assumptions play in the models.
- Use economic models graphically (diagrammatically) to analyze the effects of policy experiments (e.g. introducing taxes, finding Nash equilibria).
- Derive numerically economic instruments and apply them in analytical settings (e.g. find a price elasticity and use the elasticity to predict a change in demand).
- Solve algebraically simple microeconomic problems (e.g. utility maximization, profit maximization, and market outcomes), and reflect on the solutions with a critical view.
- Use economic intuition to explain topical policy issues (e.g. what are the challenges in promoting cooperation on climate related issues?).
ECTS
7.5
Financial Accounting and Reporting
- Accounting as a form of communication
- Financial statements and Annual Reports
- Double-entry bookkeeping
- Cash basis and accrual basis of accounting
- Inventories and Cost of Goods Sold
- Cash, receivables and short term investments
- Fixed Assets (Tangible & Intangible)
- Goodwill
- Current Liabilities, Present Value, and Long-term liabilities
- Shareholders’ Equity
- Cash Flow Statements
- Financial Statement Analysis
- A Case Study in Financial Accounting
Course aim:
Students learn to develop their understanding of financial accounting via reference to practical examples, mini-cases and the annual reports of various companies.
Relation to a Business or an Institutional Setting: Class discussions are focused around multinational companies in different industries – both European and US. The course textbook has many good examples from US business life, which will be contrasted against their European peers.
Relation to International Business or Economics: The core theme of the course is the financial accounting within multinational corporations. The relationships between parent company and subsidiaries are emphasized in group accounting and through the consolidation process.
In relation to Nordic Nine
Financial Accounting and Reporting will provide you with an introduction to financial accounting and its use by corporations in practice, which aligns with many of the Nordic Nine values.
-You will learn how companies record transactions into their accounting records as they produce prosperity for their shareholders and for the wider society. You will understand how they interact with potential investors, banks, suppliers, and creditors and develop an analytical mindset in the evaluation of financial statements (NN1, NN2, NN7).
-You will develop critical thinking skills towards the presentation of the data in financial statements and also in developing internal controls within a company. Ethical dilemmas in accounting will be presented throughout the course and you will come to understand these from a wider perspective (NN5, NN6).
Learning Objectives
- Apply the accounting equation and double entry-accounting
- Explain the difference between cash and accrual accounting
- Prepare financial statements based on accounting transactions
- Calculate financial ratios and analyze the information content of these measures
- Understand the role of ethics in preparing and using accounting information
- Identify and explain selected components of non-financial reporting provided by companies (GRI, SDGs, etc.)
ECTS
7.5
International Political Economy
International Political Economy (IPE) studies how politics shape the global economy and how the global economy impacts politics. As such, its study centers on state-market relations and the key actors that shape them, including international organizations, government actors and multinational corporations. Levels of analysis range from the national to the supranational, with a constant awareness of the multiple interconnections between the global and the local. This course introduces students to classical debates within the subfield, including the international political economy of trade, finance, development and production. It also tackles more recent topics and grand challenges that are key to contemporary debates about globalization from an IPE perspective, including climate change, money and economic inequality. In studying these topics the course brings to bear key theories of, and approaches to IPE such as realism, liberal institutionalism, critical studies, constructivism and historical institutionalism, all of which are deployed to encourage critical but concrete thinking about the myriad trade-offs that constitute the international political economy, as well as the moral and ethical implications thereof.
In relation to Nordic Nine
International Political Economy provides historical context for the major socioeconomic shifts of the 20th and 21st century, thereby placing business knowledge in a broad and concrete historical backdrop and projecting it into the future (NN1; NN7). It also tackles key socio-political challenges facing political leadres today, including topics such as financial stability, climate change, and the changing nature of labor and production (NN3). In discussing and analyzing these topics it takes a data driven approach, but also highlights the ambiguity and complex trade-offs that characterize these grand challenges (NN2; NN5). Pedagogically, the course incorporates group work and hones critical analytical skills (NN6).
Learning Objectives
- identify and discuss competing explanations of order and change in the international political economy
- draw upon course concepts and approaches to reflexively discuss the actions and operations of states under different historical conditions and the broad context in which international businesses operate
- integrate empirical and theoretical knowledge to respond persuasively to research questions about International Political Economy and explore trade-offs and ambiguities in international governance
- demonstrate comprehensive and considered engagement with course literature
ECTS
7.5
Corporate Finance
This course provides a broad overview of corporate finance covering the main tools that financial managers use to analyze investment and financing decisions. The first set of lectures will be devoted to introducing students to the goals pursued by corporations and to the financial side of their operations. Subsequently, we will be reviewing some of the accounting concepts that represent an essential background in this field, and we will introduce the concept of "time value of money", which will be a key building block in developing our theory of asset pricing. The same paradigm will also be applied to the valuation of the streams of cash flows that firms generate through their investment projects, which will ultimately lead us to the formulation of a method for making investment decisions.
In relation to Nordic Nine:
The course introduces students to the finances of firms, both from the funding side and the investment side. It intersects with the Nordic Nine vision in several dimensions:
- Deep business knowledge: It provides students with detailed knowledge on the mechanics of both financing and investment by providing students with a firm understanding of a framework for making solid financial decisions based on empirical analytics.
- Competitive in business and producing prosperity: The methods taught in the course are a cornerstone to building up any financially successful company. As such it provides the skills needed to stay competitive in the modern corporate world, as well as giving the foundations for creating corporate economic prosperity.
- Data analytics: Empirical calculations are an integral part of the course. Only with data analytics can one measure the financial performance of companies and the financial impact of managerial decisions.
- Relearning: The course is structured in such a way that students are introduced to all the techniques necessary to make financially sound decisions. Thereafter all techniques are revisited in the second half of the course within particular subjects and topics of corporate finance. Thereby students relearn the techniques by applying them repeatedly to different real-world scenarios.
- Critical thinking: The course emphasis the importance of not only producing financial data, but also learning to interpret those - as well as explaining how that interpretation can differ depending on the circumstances or scenarios one might find himself/herself in. It is thereby underlined that only with critically evaluating the financial information can students become successful financial managers.
Learning Objectives
- Identify, explain, discuss, and apply the core concepts, models, and methods
- Calculate, interpret, and compare financial statistics, prices, returns, and costs
- Elaborate, present, and discuss solutions for financial decision problems
ECTS
7.5
Political Economy of Development
The course introduces students to theories and issues in the political economy of development. The course will interrogate the interplay between states and markets in driving economic (under)development, the politics of economic development, and the roles of various domestic and international actors, institutions, and structures in this process. The causes and consequences of poverty, inequality, and development will be approached from a comparative perspective using data and case illustrations from, e.g., Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In doing so, the course will address a number of salient issues in contemporary debates on economic and political development, such as the roles of international trade, foreign aid, corruption, and democratization in the developing world.
In relation to Nordic Nine
Political Economy of Development (PED) introduces students to theories and issues allowing them to understand how the interplay between states, markets, and firms drive economic development, the politics of economic development, and causes and consequences of poverty and inequality on a domestic and global scale. PED directly provides student with a range of transformative values and capabilities relating to the Nordic Nine. PED works with student capabilities relating NN1 by interrogating how students can use and apply knowledge of businesses and understandings of how businesses use global connections to operate and create value in the context of local and global economic and political institutions (NN9). PED also directly relate to NN7 by considering how policy choices that affect current levels of prosperity may impact on the prosperity and life choices of next generations. For instance, how policies or decisions that have immediate benefits for some groups may negatively impact on the prosperity of next generations; or how the use of resources to generate prosperity in the present may affect issues of economic and environmental sustainability affecting future generations of citizens around the globe.
NN1: You have deep knowledge placed in a broad context.
NN7: You produce prosperity and protect the prosperity of next generations.
NN9: You create value from global connections for local communities.
Learning Objectives
- Identify, analyze and evaluate core concepts, theories, and issues in the political economy of development
- Use the concepts and theories of the political economy of development to identify, analyse, and evaluate key issues of economic and political development in developing countries and emerging economies.
- Identify, analyze and evaluate economic, political, institutional, and structural causes and consequences of development in a comparative perspective.
- Analyse empirical data and evidence concerning economic and political development using the concepts and theories introduced in the course.
- Make a clear, coherent, and well-reasoned analysis of issues in political and economic development based upon methods in the social sciences and a comprehensive understanding of the theories and approaches introduced in the course.
ECTS
7.5
Political and Economic Thought
The course presents central thinkers in the history of Western political theory and economics and discusses how those thinkers helped shape the political institutions and economic policies of the Western world.
It covers normative, analytical, and theoretical ideas from antiquity to the contemporary world, such as the origins and functioning of the state, individual freedom, the purpose of society, the ideal government, liberal democracy and other systems of governance, and macroeconomic problems such as the origins of wealth and growth, problems of production, distribution and regulation, economic crises, unemployment and inflation.
Focus is on the origins of contemporary political and economic ideas and on the trajectories of the specialized modern social sciences with a special emphasis on the evolution of, and the disciplinary division between, economics and political science.
In relation to Nordic Nine
Political and Economic Thought (PET) connects deep knowledge of political and economic ideas and theories with broad social and historical context (NN1). PET teaches students to be curious and analytical about theoretical ambiguities that emerge from changing historical circumstance (NN2), enabling critical thinking and constructive action when faced with current and future political and economic doctrines (NN6). The course addresses issues such as economic crises, limits to growth, authoritarian threats to democracy, heterodox and transformative economics as well as gender and economic inequality, so as to ensure PET students are both trained in recognizing humanity’s challenges and provided with knowledge and analytical skills to help resolve them (NN3).
Learning Objectives
- explain the historical roots and trajectories of current Western political and economic theory and ideology
- analyze, compare, and discuss central ideas from the history of Western political and economic theory and ideology
- demonstrate a contextual overview of central political and economic thinkers of the Western world from antiquity to today
- present their findings in a logical and coherent manner
ECTS
7.5
Management and Organisation (7.5 ECTS)
Introduction to Management and Organisation
Management and Organisation presents the building blocks of the study, analysis, and management of organisations. The course will introduce students to organisational theory, from the social science “classics” to political economy, transnational, feminist, and critical race theories of organizations. In this course, students will learn how to apply concepts and theories of leadership, management, and organisation to analyze real world empirical evidence and cases. Students will then craft solutions to the pressing challenges that businesses face in today's dynamic global economy, such as those presented by globalisation, sustainability, inequality, diversity, and crisis.
Learning objectives
- Apply critical thinking skills to explain, synthesise, analyse, and evaluate concepts and theories used in the study of management and organizations.
- Design solutions that draw from organisational theory and leadership values to overcome ethical dilemmas and societal challenges presented in empirical cases.
- Demonstrate an understanding of how effectively managing an organisation and compassionately contributing to society can beneficially reinforce one another.
- Use effective communication skills by crafting written and oral arguments that are supported by evidence and logic.
- Constructively evaluate and reflect on one’s own and other people’s application of organisation theory
ECTS
7.5
Research Design and Quantitative Methods
In the realms of business, public policy, and the non-governmental sector, there is an unprecedented emphasis on the need for "evidence." Consequently, the current labor market exhibits a strong demand for graduates proficient in data analysis, capable of designing inquiries, and adept at drawing conclusions from quantitative data.
This course covers both the theoretical background and application of introductory, intermediate, and more advanced statistical and quantitative methods in business and social science. Upon completion of the course, students should have a theoretical understanding of the methods introduced and the ability to apply them to specific research problems. The course will be taught over two semesters. In the first semester, we will discuss concepts related to research design, measurement, introductory data analysis (incl. data visualization and descriptive statistics). We will then transition to multiple regression and the estimation of statistical uncertainty. The second semester starts with a more thorough coverage of multiple regression analysis. Next, the course will introduce more advanced statistical methods and methods of causal inference, for example, difference-in-differences estimation and regression discontinuity designs. The course consists of both lectures and applied exercises, in which we will actively work on implementing the methods covered in lectures.
Please note: This course uses an applied approach and thus we will use software (R) to work with data throughout the whole course and in the examination. Beyond the software examples in the applied textbooks, students will receive a refresher on the software in the early stages of the course.
In relation to Nordic Nine
Throughout the course, students will develop important competencies in several of the Nordic Nine capabilities. Understanding and working with data is becoming ever more important in our changing world. In this class, students learn important skills to empirically evaluate causal statements and analyze quantitative data (NN2). Students will practice thinking critically and analytically to answer important societal challenges (NN6). Moreover, students work collaboratively in data analytics tasks, collectively teaching and learning from each other (NN8).
Learning Objectives
- Understand and discuss structure and components of quality research designs.
- Demonstrate critical assessment skills regarding measurement choices for important social, political, and business concepts, such as discrimination, trust, corruption among others.
- Ability to use R to generate and interpret basic univariate and bivariate statistical data summaries
- Ability to create and interpret data visualizations in R.
- Summarize and illustrate the differences between experimental and observational studies employed within business and social sciences.
- Discuss the fundamentals of statistical inference and carry out null hypothesis testing.
- Apply bivariate regression analysis and interpret the specific results including coefficients, standard errors, p-values, etc
- Understand the importance of and inherent difficulties in estimating causal effects.
- Be able to evaluate different research design strategies and select adequate quantitative approaches for estimating causal effect for a given question.
- Be able to estimate and interpret multiple regression models
- Ability to use R to estimate and interpret advanced quantitative methods to answer important questions in the social sciences and study of business, in particular estimating causal effects
ECTS
7.5
International Business and Management
This course on International Business and Management is intended to provide an overview of the theories and principles of international business and management. International business and management has considerable impact on modern enterprises operating in an increasingly global economy. The aim of the course is to provide students with an extended coverage of alternative theories and perspectives on firms' internationalization, a thorough understanding of the key strategic and organizational issues confronting managers of multinational corporations, and theoretical concepts on foreign subsidiaries and headquarter-subsidiary relationships. It is designed to familiarize students with the institutional, cultural, and economic environments that affect international businesses and management, showing how managers develop different responses to external pressures. It consists of a combination of face-to-face and online teaching (blended learning).
In relation to Nordic Nine
International Business and Management (IBM) gives the students several transformative capabilities in accordance with the Nordic nine. IBM provides students with deep business knowledge about how firms can exploit and augment their domestic sources of value creation in the international context (N1). The course helps students to recognize the ambiguous role of multinational companies in society; They are actors that create as well as solve societal challenges (N3). Moreover, students are challenged to recognise ethical dilemmas faced by companies operating in different cultures and to develop leadership values to address them (N5). IBM offers theories and concepts which applications allow for the creation of value using globally distributed knowledge and connections to the advantage of localized problem solving (N9).
Learning Objectives
- Identify and apply key theories, models and concepts of strategic management and economics to the greater understanding of international business and management
- Explain and give examples of alternative strategies, structures and operations of multinational corporations, appropriate in different international contexts, changing markets and political conditions
- Analyze business case studies applying relevant concepts and theories of international business and management
- Identify and theoretically justify how different theories and concepts from the curriculum are interrelated
ECTS
7.5
Business and Global Governance
The course gives students factual and theoretical knowledge of selected cases of business challeges in a broader macroeconomic and global context, covering business strategies developed in light of dominant megatrends and the policycrisis, as well as international business regulation. The theoretical approaches are discussed and compared based on their inherent theoretical strengths and weaknesses as well as their practical relevance.
The specific content and structure is presented in the course plan on Canvas. The course provides a multifaceted understanding of the role of business in global governance from both a business and a societal perspective.
In relation to Nordic Nine
NN1: You have deep business knowledge placed in a broad context. For BGG this is done through focus on business in the broad context of global trade, global value chains, global security conflicts or global financial networks.
NN3: You recognize humanity's challenges and have the entrepreneurial knowledge to resolve them. For BGG this is done through looking at energy shocks, inequality, war, stagflation, supply shocks, climate change. These are some of the megachallenges that we deal with and try to imagine solutions to using creativity and evidence.
NN4: You are competitive in business and compassionate in society. For BGG this means that there are no societies based just on competitiveness, so we look at labor, inequality, climate change disruptions.
NN7: You produce prosperity and protect the prosperity for the next generation. For BGG this means that prosperity is impossible without peace, good governance, stable micro-finance and a livable habitat. How do we get to secure those?
Learning Objectives
- Demonstrate knowledge of diverse topics in the study of business in a global context as presented in readings and lectures.
- Persuasively answer questions about business in global governance, using the readings from the course and following academic standards appropriate to a third year bachelor course.
- Apply these approaches to the main contemporary dilemmas facing international economic institutions, states, firms and civil society in the global political economy.
- Compare, evaluate and discuss approaches based on the syllabus and lectures.
ECTS
7.5
Research Design and Qualitative Methods (7.5 ECTS)
Introduction to Research Design and Qualitative Methods
The objective of this course is to provide students with an understanding of how to formulate, conduct, analyze and report qualitative research in the social sciences. The course further discusses how to assess the quality of research and how to approach ethical questions concerning qualitative research. There are three main components to the course:
1. Philoshophy of science section introduces the students to the most essential key concepts and positions in philosophy of science and strengthens their epistemological and ontological awareness.
2. Research design section helps the students understand the link between research questions, theoretical direction and empirical material, by focusing on cross-sectional, temporal, single and multiple case study designs.
3. Data collection and analysis section develops key skills in the collection and analysis of qualitative data by covering diverse techniques, such as qualitative interviewing, focus groups, text/document analysis and observation.
The course uses blended learning in order to maximize opportunities for both flexible learning and classroom interaction. Whereas the online elements of the course are directed towards content, much of the interactive elements incorporate the direct classroom application of skills, especially with regard to qualitative data collection and analysis. In line with the Nordic Nine principles, the course seeks to substantially develop learners' curiosity and analytic skills when working with different forms of qualitative data. Nordic Nine 2: "You are analytical with data and curious about ambiguity". Given the requirements from the Ministry on basic philosophy of science content there will also need to an objective that student comprehend the basic concepts, terms, and positions around issues of ontology and epistemology. Given the emphasis on research design the students would be required to produce a research design that is able to link a research question to qualitative methods and empirical data
Learning objectives
- Comprehend, identify and evaluate the basic concepts, terms, and positions around issues of ontology and epistemology.
- Assess the strengths and limitations of different qualitative methods when applied to a given research problem.
- Apply qualitative methods to a research problem and account for the relationship between theory, method, data collection, and analysis by producing a research design that is able to link a research question to qualitative methods and empirical data.
- Demonstrate applied skills and apply methodologically informed analyses to a research question in the field of international business and politics.
- Critically reflect on how to analyze and report qualitative research and assess its validity and reliability.
ECTS
7.5
Business Strategy and SDGs (7.5 ECTS)
Introduction to Business Strategy and SDGs
This course will provide students a detailed introduction to core theories and principles in business strategy, strategic leadership and strategic decision making, in the context of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Achieving the SDGs has been viewed as the key challenge for the new decade, and there has been an increasing pressure on firms and their executives to contribute to the advancement of the SDGs. The course is designed to explore how firm executives can align their business strategy with the SDGs and potential challenges with it. The goal of this course is to provide
1) a framework for understanding the main elements of a business strategy
2) a thorough understanding of strategic leadership and fundamental managerial decision-making concepts and
3) knowledge and insights into contextual factors, i.e. the co-evolution of business strategy and institutional framework in a time of transition.
Furthermore, the course will open for critical discussion and reflection on the role and commitment of different types of organizations and the SDGs and introduce approaches such as transformative innovation and directionality/mission economy.
Learning objectives
- Identify, explain, and discuss the key theories, models and concepts of business strategy, strategic leadership and strategic decision making, and apply them to the advancement of the SDGs
- Ability to reflect and discuss multilevel perspectives on the role of firms and managers for the humanity’s grand challenges and apply knowledge from business strategy and strategy leadership to help resolve them
- Analyze business case studies applying relevant concepts and theories of business strategy, strategic leadership and strategic decision making
- Discuss and critically reflect on the interdependencies of business and society in addressing global challenges such as the SDGs
ECTS
7.5
Research Design and Quantitative Methods continued (7.5)
The course Research Design and Quantitative Methods is taught on the 3rd and 4th semester. See the course description under the 3rd semester.