BSc in Business Administration and Digital Management

Managing Innovation in Organisations

The purpose of the course is to introduce students to the foundations of innovation theory, located at the intersection of technology, organization and marketing issues. Building on this foundation, the course will also address the ‘future’ of innovation theory and practice, specifically exploring the role of new technologies in enabling new forms of innovation organizing. In addressing these issues, students are invited to reflect on the ambiguity and uncertainty that necessarily surrounds development and introduction of innovations, and on the ethical dilemmas thus brought about.

Through the course, we will progress from basic understandings of the societal role of innovation via questions of innovation strategy to the micro-level dynamics of how innovation both shapes and is shaped by organizations. The course aims to provide a repertoire of concepts and theoretical understandings allowing the student to conceptualize innovation-related issues and to reflect on these in a theoretically informed manner. Ideas covered are drawn from economic history, organization theory, innovation economics and marketing theory and include:

• Creative Destruction
• The Productivity Dilemma
• Exploration and exploitation
• Technology s-curves, technology cycles, technology interdependence
• Different forms of innovation, including disruptive innovation, foundational technologies and architectural innovation
• Different forms of ambidexterity
• Diffusion of innovations, especially within high-tech
• First-mover advantage and disadvantage
• Product category emergence
• User innovation
• Crowdsourcing
• Substitution, complementarities and economic adjustment

The course also aims to strengthen the students’ ability to express these ideas in oral and especially written form, and trains the ability to engage with ideas expressed in various scholarly and applied forms. This will be done through dedicated lessons on writing technique and practice, in-class discussion and take-home exercises. An inherent part of this is the ability to both account for and critique theoretical positions and their practical implications.

Learning Objectives

ECTS

7.5

Business Data Analytics, Quantitative Methods and Visualisation

This course is designed to equip students with practical knowledge of tools and techniques for the exploration, analysis and visualization of data in business. It also deals with conceptual, societal and ethical issues associated with these techniques. Thus it addresses several key aspects of the Nordic Nine -- especially under Knowledge ("analytical with data and curious about ambiguity") and under Values ("understand ethical dilemmas and have the leadership values to overcome them").

The course has a blended format, with some online activities, including quizzes and online discussion groups. In addition, there will be regular hands-on lab sessions. The course includes an independently chosen project, which will  take the form of a business case analysis. Students will select a dataset, to which they apply data science techniques, building relevant models and assessing them from a business and data science perspective.

The course will cover the following main topic areas:

• Basic techniques for analysis of structured data, including use of query languages
• Basic machine learning tools and techniques, including classification and regression, as well as unsupervised methods such as clustering
• Techniques for visualization and presentation of the results of data analysis
• Conceptual, societal and ethical issues with business data analytics

Students are expected to work with large language models and other forms of

generative AI in exercises, assignments, and exams. As with any other software, it should be clearly stated how the AI models are used in the performance of a given exercise, assignment, or exam.

Learning Objectives

ECTS

7.5

Financial Accounting and Reporting and its Digital Context

The course includes the following sessions which aim at laying the foundation for a solid understanding of financial accounting and reporting practices:

1. Purpose/function of accounting, presentation of financial statements

2. Double-entry bookkeeping technique

3. Accrual accounting

4. Ethics and internal control, cash and receivables

5. Inventory and merchandizing operations

6. PPE and intangibles

7. Current and long-term liabilities

8. Equity and investments

9. Cash flow statement

10. Financial statement analysis and XBRL reporting

Throughout the different sessions, students acquire general business knowledge by analyzing financial statements of internationally operating companies with different backgrounds (service and product companies from different countries) with the aim of assessing the firm’s financial position and performance in light of the broader economic context.

The tasks of analysing financial data and assessing whether certain accounting regulations and practices meet the (intended) purpose of financial accounting aim at stimulating students’ curiosity about ambiguities in accounting and at helping students to develop a high degree of analytical and critical thinking.

Constructive collaboration is encouraged by group tasks.

Learning Objectives

After having completed the course students should be able to:

ECTS

7.5

Information Management in Organisations

With the rise of the internet and digitalization, practices of managing information in organizations are in a stage of transition away from the conventional paradigm of retrieving information stored in silos towards a new paradigm based on digital networking and information construction. The course embarks upon a journey to trace this transition by, first, discussing conventional practices (e.g. records management, taxonomies) and the changes these practices are going through due to digitalization. It is against this backdrop that the course will then continue to discuss new practices of information management (e.g. wikis, blockchain) as well as the implications of these practices on economic ventures, organized collaboration and many other domains of social interaction. In order to learn how to apply these practices in real-life contexts, the students will have to work with a real organization of their choosing, identify a real problem in that organization, and design a solution in the form of a business case.

The course subscribes to CBS’ Nordic Nine strategy, as it teaches students to move beyond mere operational issues and consider the wider strategic, societal, and ecological context. Students also learn to appreciate ambiguity and complexity by learning basic principles of systemic thinking and to address ethical considerations as responsible information managers. Finally, the classes focus on group work and class discussion, and on providing constructive feedback between students, which invites them to constantly re-evaluate their thinking and elaborate on their arguments.

Learning Objectives

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.

Managing Communication, Marketing and Relations

In this course, students will be introduced to key theories and discussions in communications, media and marketing studies in order to gain conceptual and analytical tools that can help unpack the role of digital media and data in communication, marketing and business-society relations.

In order to grasp the role of digital media and data, including their opportunities and challenges for different societal actors, the course examines these in relation to technological affordances, practices and wider societal power structures.

The course consists of a combination of lectures and seminars.

Learning Objectives

ECTS

15

Digital Technologies and Data-Driven Business

Aim of the course

The course Digital Technologies and Data-Driven Business constitutes a core foundation course that provides the necessary understanding of digital technologies and the role of data in 21^st century businesses and organizations. The course is an introductory level course.

Course content

The growing phenomenon of digitalization brings about profound changes in society and in businesses. Digital technologies and the explosion of data are transforming virtually every aspect of how industries evolve, how businesses deliver value, and how consumers behave.

This course investigates the link between the capabilities of digital technologies and the activities and objectives of business organizations. In the course, we examine the technological foundations (systems, software, and databases) of business organizations, and investigate how the capabilities and limitations of digital technologies shape opportunities for business value creation for organizations, entire industries, and society at large. To this effect, we focus on how to develop data-driven solutions in business, by providing skills of extracting value from data through data programming and data analytics.

Learning Objectives

ECTS

15

Economics in the Digital Age

Learning Objectives

1. Have a fundamental understanding of theories in microeconomics. 2. Be able to apply microeconomic theories to analyse, understand, and solve real-life business and societal problems in a structured manner. 3. Be able to identify and develop recommendations for decision and policy making based on microeconomic theories. 4. Be able to use microeconomic theories to critically discuss the role of digital transformation for consumers, firms, industries, and society as a whole.

ECTS

7.5

Corporate Finance

This is an introductory course in finance focusing on corporate applications in the international environment. It covers the basic theories of interest rates, valuation of streams of cash flows, and pricing of risk, and it draws practical implications for capital structure, project valuation, financing, and risk management.

More specifically, the course contains a basic introduction to topics such as:

• The main characteristics of corporations
• The relationship between accounting information and the information analyzed in corporate finance
• Interest rates and the time value of money
• The valuation of bonds and stocks
• The investment decision
• The financing decision including capital structure theory and the cost of capital
• Payout policy
• International financial management and capital budgeting
• Financial and real options
• Risk management

Learning Objectives

ECTS

7.5

Knowledge, Leadership, and Change Management

This course prepares students for careers as effective managers by exploring the key practical and conceptual tasks and challenges facing knowledge workers and knowledge work. These challenges include organizing work as a series of diverse and challenging projects; managing project portfolios; negotiating work tasks with experts, professionals, and knowledge workers; maintaining integration in very diverse workplaces; and grappling with uncertainty and change. The course stresses that in such contexts, the strategic, organisational and cultural aspects of management practice always intersect and overlap. At the same time, the course explores several theories that link these dynamics together. 

The course further pursues the notion that management practices rooted in industrial regimes of production increasingly have been superseded in many instances by new management practices that foreground leadership, culture and the regulation of identity. The course therefore includes discussion of those aspects of organisational life that are often marginalised in standard texts, including the politics and complexities of managerial decision-making, the roles played by ordinary human interaction, and relationships in organizational settings.

Learning Objectives

ECTS

7.5

Bachelor Project

The Bachelor Project concludes the undergraduate programme. The objectives of the Bachelor Project are a continuation of the overall DM programme.

In the Bachelor Project students have an opportunity to explore an issue of interest within an interdisciplinary framework.

Students should build on knowledge already acquired during the programme, formulate a research question within the framework of the DM programme and, if possible, choose their research question in collaboration with an organisation. The research question may benefit from problems and issues experienced during students’ internship, if the student has participated in an internship programme.

At the beginning of the semester, the course coordinator hosts a workshop. It is intended to help you critically reflect upon the structure and content of your project, allow you to practice presenting the main ideas of your project to an audience talking about methodological, theoretical and analytical matters in a coherent way. You are expected to participate in the workshop. 

Students can find further information about writing a Bachelor Project here my.cbs.dk => Bachelor Project.

Learning Objectives

ECTS

15

Regulation and Governance of Digital Business

The course offers an introduction to the most significant issues about the regulation and governance of digital business. It provides an encompassing and overall view about key aspects that regulate and govern the context in which businesses develop digital solutions and the context in which digital-based new business models operate. In so doing, the course develops the analytical skills of the students in terms of understanding, describing, and explaining the relevance of these different aspects of regulation and governance of digital matters, as an essential context for digital business management. The course will also put particular attention to the legal and  ethical responsibility of digital business, which are interrelated but also distinct issues. The course will deal, among others, with issues like: data privacy regulations and compliance, digital business and intellectual property rights, network neutrality and digital infrastructure, public and private dimensions of cybersecurity, and ethics and responsibility in the digital era.

Learning Objectives

After completing the course the students should be able to:

ECTS

7.5

Qualitative and Quantitative Methods

This course teaches students to (1) understand and critically evaluate dominant philosophies of science and methodologies that undergird scientific knowledge creation in the social sciences and (2) competently use a broad selection of qualitative and quantitative social science research methods.

The course is divided into three overlapping phases: First, students are introduced to central concepts (induction, deduction, verification, falsification, ontology, epistemology, etc.) and positions (positivism, social constructivism, critical theory, etc.) in the philosophy of science. In addition to learning about theories of what constitutes science, students will get practical training in identifying researchable problems and formulating concise research questions. Second, students will learn about and be taught to use a range of qualitative methods. In the final stretch of the course, students will be introduced and trained to use a wide variety of quantitative methods foundational to social science research.

Through active participation in the course, students will learn to competently perform social science research. This entails designing a research project of the size and scope required for a Bachelor thesis at CBS. It moreover entails gaining an in-depth understanding of and developing the ability to critically reflect on the conventions of the methodological decisions taken in and possible ethical dilemmas associated with said research project. Finally, students will learn to communicate their research practice and process orally and in writing. The knowledge gained and competencies developed in the course will not only help students in their studies at the university but prepare them for a labour market where they must account for their approach (method) to problem-solving.

The course will conclude with a 10 page individual home assignment. Exam guidelines and an exam paper template will be available on Canvas from the start of the course.

Learning Objectives

On completion of the course, students should be able to:

ECTS

15

Globalisation, Outsourcing and Virtual Organising

Learning Objectives

ECTS

7.5

Business Models and Value Chains in the Digital Economy

The proliferation of digital technologies has a significant impact on business models and traditional value chains. Digital platforms with international impact, such as Google, Amazon, and Facebook are building digital ecosystems challenging existing business models and value chains. The course starts by introducing the logic behind traditional business models and value chains. Then, the course explains the digital trends which lead to new value creation structures, enabled by digital platforms. Traditional value chains are being replaced and new digital business models emerge. The course also presents strategic tools for supporting traditional businesses experiencing digital transformation. Concepts, models, and economic principles that are useful in analyzing the digital business models and digital structures of value creation will be taught and applied on real-life cases. Based on the knowledge gained in the course, students will develop their own business model in groups and demonstrate its feasibility using a minimum viable product.

Learning Objectives

ECTS

7.5

Digital Organisation

The course is designed to provide students with analytical tools and capabilities that will allow them to critically examine how organizations function and develop insights into their idiosyncrasies. The course promotes the view that theorizing is an important organizational practice, and that knowledge of alternatives and their consequences is the key to understanding organization and organized action. Successfully turning theory into a practical resource or tool for further theorizing requires an ability to appreciate differences among the various theories. This includes furthering the ability to discuss and critically reflect upon the theories and their different – sometimes competing – assumptions, while paying due attention to their possible practical relevance and implications. This is a hands-on course that requires students' engagement. Attendance and active participation in class discussions are not only expected but also required to realize the course learning objectives successfully.

The course covers theories related to organizational structure, technology, culture, decision-making and management, among others. Digitalization and its impact on organizing is the running theme throughout the course. 

Learning Objectives

ECTS

7.5

Technology and Societal Transformations

Taking an encompassing and interdisciplinary approach to the study of  technological and socio-political transformations, this course brings together a range of theoretical and analytical perspectives. The course both zooms out to offer more theoretical accounts of digitalization and datafication, and zooms in on the importance of theory in empirical and strategic work.

This course focuses on questions about the intersection of technology and societal transformations and offers students an opportunity to develop, formulate and design an academic analysis based on a research question of their own choice. The course provides an overview of theoretical discussions about digital transformations and societal developments, and uses these as a starting point for developing research questions, project designs and theoretical and methodological frameworks for the study and analysis of digital transformations. The focus on linking theories to research project design and analysis means that the course opens up questions about research methods and theories of science.

Learning Objectives

ECTS

7.5