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2020/2021  BA-BSOCO1831U  Business, Politics and Society

English Title
Business, Politics and Society

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Bachelor
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Autumn
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for BSc in Business Administration and Sociology
Course coordinator
  • Maj Grasten - Department of Management, Politics and Philosophy (MPP)
Main academic disciplines
  • International political economy
  • Political leadership and public management
  • Sociology
Teaching methods
  • Face-to-face teaching
Last updated on 30-06-2020

Relevant links
Learning objectives
On successful completion of the two courses, Business, Politics and Society and Managerial Economics II, students should be able to:
  • demonstrate a strong and comprehensive knowledge of the two courses’ curriculum.
  • identify, describe, and analyze a current problem at the intersection of business, politics, and society and discuss the implications of different strategic choices within the organization as well as in relation to its environment.
  • the particular objectives of the Business, Politics and Society course are to
  • understand basic concepts used in the fields of political economy and political sociology.
  • identify, explain and critically assess the relationship between political institutions, public policy and the economy in different social and societal settings.
  • identify the strengths and weaknesses of the approaches introduced in the course.
  • the particular objectives of the Managerial Economics II course are to
  • distinguish different types of structures and processes in public and private organizations in a managerial economics perspective.
  • explain how different transactions are governed and optimized inside the organization and externally in the market.
  • apply the methods, theories, and models introduced in the course in order to carry out analyses rooted in managerial economics.
Course prerequisites
The courses 'Business, Politics and Society' and 'Managerial Economics II' have one integrated exam. You can only participate in Business, Politics and Society if you also register for Managerial Economics II.
Prerequisites for registering for the exam (activities during the teaching period)
Number of compulsory activities which must be approved (see s. 13 of the Programme Regulations): 1
Compulsory home assignments
The course involves two compulsory assignments. Students have to have at least one of these assignments approved in order to sit the exam. The assignments are written (1 page synopsis) on a set question provided by the course coordinator/lecturer. The purpose of the assignments is to prepare students for the exam. The set question resembles the MEII-BPS exam questions. In the first assignment we focus on the construction of an analytical argument. This is a skill that will come in handy at the MEII-BPS exam. Students have two days to construct their argument. In the second assignment, we focus on constructing an analytical argument under time pressure (a situation that students will find themselves in at the MEII-BPS exam). Students have six hours to construct their argument. The first and second assignments are approved by the course coordinator. Feed-back on the assignments will be given as collective feed-back.
Examination
Business in Context:
Exam ECTS 15
Examination form Oral exam
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Duration 20 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Preparation time With the listed preparation time: 20 Minutes
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and second internal examiner
Exam period Autumn
Aids Limited aids, see the list below:
The student is allowed to bring to the preparation room
  • In paper format: Books (including translation dictionaries), compendiums and notes
The student is also allowed to bring simple writing and drawing utensils (non-digital). Students are not allowed to communicate with others during the preparation time.
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Description of the exam procedure

The two courses ‘Managerial Economics II’ and ‘Business, Politics and Society’ are assessed in a 3rd semester integrated and interdisciplinary oral examination.
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

Aim of the course:
This course provides students with the analytical tools and empirical knowledge to understand and analyze interactions between business, politics and society across social settings and levels of governance.

Description of the course:
The course combines political sociology and political economy to explore the relationship between political institutions, public policy and the economy in different social and societal settings. Students are introduced to basic concepts, analytical tools, and empirical knowledge from the fields of political sociology and political economy to identify and analyze the interaction between business, politics and society. The course is structured in three streams: authority and governance, regulation and governance, and transnational governance. Each stream interrogates how conflict and cohesion conditions the governance of the political economy. The course draws on case studies of current issues, including populism, race and racism, economic crises, science and innovation, and global health.
Description of the teaching methods
The course combines online pre-recorded lectures and seminars on campus focusing on group and class discussions. Students are required to participate actively throughout the course.
Feedback during the teaching period
The course provides collective feedback on the two individual home assignments. Individual feedback is offered during office hours. The course includes a mid-semester workshop with the Managerial Economics II course which prepares the students for the joint exam. Students are strongly encouraged to make use of the office hours of the course coordinator and lecturers.
Student workload
Lectures 36 hours
Preparation 170 hours
Expected literature

​Textbook chapters and academic articles, which will be made available on canvas. A comprehensive reading list can be found in the course plan that will be published on canvas before classes begin.
Last updated on 30-06-2020