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2016/2017  KAN-CCMVI2042U  Behavioural Economics in Sustainabilty Policy

English Title
Behavioural Economics in Sustainabilty Policy

Course information

Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Elective
Level Full Degree Master
Duration Summer
Start time of the course Summer
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Max. participants 80
Study board
Study Board for MSc in Economics and Business Administration
Course coordinator
  • Course instructor - Lucia Reisch, Full Professor, Copenhagen Business School, lr.ikl@cbs.dk
    Sven Bislev - Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC)
In case of any academic questions related to the course, please contact the course instructor or the academic director, Sven Bislev at sb.ikl@cbs.dk
Main academic disciplines
  • CSR and sustainability
  • Management
  • Political leadership and public management
Last updated on 29/05/2017
Learning objectives
To achieve the grade 12, students should meet the following learning objectives with no or only minor mistakes or errors:
  • Assess the key academic literature in the field of behavioral economics and behaviorally based public policy
  • Learn and appraise the theory and practical application of behaviorally based policy in sustainability politics
  • Understand and apply empirical methods used in behaviourally based public policy
  • Assess policy problems in the field of sustainable development and suggest effective behaviorally based policy instruments
Course prerequisites
Previous courses on behavioural economics or sustainable development are
recommended but not mandated.
Examination
Behavioural Economics in Sustainabilty Policy:
Exam ECTS 7.5
Examination form Written sit-in exam
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Assignment type Written assignment
Duration 4 hours
Grading scale 7-step scale
Examiner(s) One internal examiner
Exam period Summer, Ordinary exam: End of July - beginning of August 2017.

Retake exam: End of September - beginning of October 2017.

3rd attempt (2nd retake) exam: End November - beginning of December 2017.

Exam schedule is available on http://www.cbs.dk/summer http:/​/​www.cbs.dk/​uddannelse/​summer-university-programme/​exam.
Aids allowed to bring to the exam Closed book: no aids
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
If the number of registered candidates for the make-up examination/re-take examination warrants that it may most appropriately be held as an oral examination, the programme office will inform the students that the make-up examination/re-take examination will be held as an oral examination instead.
4 hour written sit-in exam, new exam question.

Exam form for 3rd attempt (2nd retake): 72 hours home project assignment, max. 10 pages.
Course content and structure

Since a few years, behaviourally based public policy ("Nudging") is on the rise. To
date, more than 200 governments worldwide apply the insights of behavioural studies
in general and behavioural economics in specific complementing traditional policy
instruments. This interdisciplinary course offers an opportunity for students to learn
about the insights of behavioural economics and "nudging" in general and applied to the field
of sustainability policy in specific. Fields of applications include energy use, food waste and
healthy lifestyles.

 

Class 1: Introduction to Behavioral Economics (BE)
and Sustainability Policy
Class 2: Foundations of BE (1)
Class 3: Foundations of BE (2)
Class 4: Foundations of Sustainability Policy
Class 5: Nudges on the testbed: energy use
Class 6: Nudges on the testbed: healthy lifestyles
Class 7: Theory and methods of behaviorally based
regulation
Class 8: The ethics of nudging
Class 9: Implications for research
Class 10: Implications for policy
Class 11: Comprehensive Review, Q & A

 

Feedback activity: During the first Class, small
activity assignments will be distributed. They can
involve minute speeches, panel debates, pro & con
debates and other actions. These activities will be
presented in class while going, feedback will be
provided by both professor and students. We will
also learn how to give feedback productively
(feedback rules)

Teaching methods
lecture with interactive small exercises such as minute speeches, pro & con debates, and guest speakers; we will also make use of available online material and assess real policies
Student workload
Preliminary assignment 10 hours
Classroom attendance 33 hours
Preparation 144 hours
Feedback activity 7 hours
Examination 12 hours
Further Information

Preliminary Assignment: To help students get maximum value from ISUP courses, instructors provide a reading or a small number of readings or video clips to be read or viewed before the start of classes with a related task scheduled for class 1 in order to 'jump-start' the learning process.

 

Feedback Activity: A feedback activity defined by the course instructor will take place approx. half-way through the course.

 

Course timetable is available on http://www.cbs.dk/uddannelse/summer-university-programme/courses.

 

Expected literature

PRIMARY LITERATURE (MUST-HAVE BOOKS):

 

Adam Oliver. (2017). The Origins of Behavioural Public Policy. 1st Edition. Cambridge University Press.

 

Richard Thaler & Cass Sunstein. (2008). Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness. Yale University Press.

 

SECONDARY LITERATURE (NICE-TO-HAVE BOOKS):

 

Eldar Shafir (ed.). (2012). The Behavioural Foundations of Public Policy. Princeton University Press.

 

Lucia Reisch & John Thogersen (Editors). (2015). Handbook of Research on Sustainable Consumption. Edward Elgar.

Last updated on 29/05/2017