• describe and critically discuss theories and approaches that address the strategies and policies of developing country governments and other stakeholders with regard to fostering industrial development, poverty reduction and sustainable development
• relate these theories to each other and identify similarities and differences in relation to internal and external factors and actors of the developmental dynamic,
• apply development theories and strategies to empirical evidence about development trajectories and challenges, policies and practices of developing country states, and
• analyze and synthesize impacts of strategies and policies of developing country governments and other stakeholders in terms of national competitiveness, social equality and sustainable development.

The aim of the course is to enhance the student’s capabilities to understand models and concepts for strategies and challenges of developing country governments in particular, with regard to fostering industrial development, competitiveness and integration in a global economy. Key questions are why some developing countries succeed in bringing about industrial development and poverty reduction, while others seemingly fail? The focus is on the role of developing country governments in the development process and the relationships to different organizations and actors nationally and internationally (e.g. civil society and market organizations, donor agencies and international institutions). It combines (international) business studies and development studies with the key ambition to understand the conditions and processes that frame and facilitate economic, social and private sector development. The course is divided into four modules:

The first modulegives an introduction to development thinking,

the evolution of development thinking and various theoretical

perspectives on development. A particular emphasis is on

perspectives of the role of the state in development.

The second modulefocuses on the challenges of industrial

development of the world’s major developing regions,

emphasizing the changes in economic development strategies

toward enhanced competitiveness in an era of increasing global

integration. The module describes the relationship between

industrial policies and strategies and the role industrial districts and clusters in developing countries and examines the challenges that economic globalization pose for developing countries e.g. innovation and national innovation systems (NIS) to a prominent place on the agenda of international competitiveness.

The third module deals with the evolution of business systems and the role of civil society institutions and organisations for development. The module presents different theoretical perspectives on institutions and economic development and emphases the role of these institutions (political, economic, associational and the knowledge systems) and their linkages to economic efficiency and growth.

The fourth and final module takes a view on international political economy as it relates to developing country government’s room of manoeuvre emphasizing the global trade regimes and the case of Africa of governance on the one hand, and the overall interplay between global and domestic capacities and regimes of governance, options for industrial and institutional policies and the changing trends and patterns of economic and social development on the other hand.

To be announced on Learn.