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2020/2021  KAN-CCDEV1135U  Field Study: Entrepreneurship and Private Sector Development in Uganda

English Title
Field Study: Entrepreneurship and Private Sector Development in Uganda

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 15 ECTS
Type Elective
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Spring
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Min. participants 24
Max. participants 24
Study board
Study Board for BSc and MSc in Business, Language and Culture, MSc
Course coordinator
  • Søren Jeppesen - Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC)
  • Thilde Langevang - Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC)
Main academic disciplines
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Globalisation and international business
Teaching methods
  • Face-to-face teaching
Last updated on 14-10-2020

Relevant links
Learning objectives
At the end of the course the students should be able to:
  • Outline and reflect critically on a range of methodologies and theories of relevance to field research in a developing country setting related to the field of Entrepreneurship and Private Sector Development.
  • Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the empirical results in the light of the methodologies and theories.
  • Assess the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to intercultural team/group work in the light of the practical experiences from the field.
  • Plan and execute social scientific research, including field research in a developing country context.
Course prerequisites
Fluency in English. Relevant theoretical knowledge of business in developing and emerging markets, including participation in course on developing and emerging economies as well as field research methods.

THE COURSE IS FOR BLC STUDENTS ONLY!

SEE HOW TO REGISTER FOR THE COURSE UNDER COURSE CONTENT AND STRUCTURE.
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
Oral presentations etc.
Participation in the entire field trip - including submission of report and oral presentation of findings - in Uganda.
Examination
Field study: Entrepreneurship and Private Sector Development in Uganda:
Exam ECTS 15
Examination form Oral exam based on written product

In order to participate in the oral exam, the written product must be handed in before the oral exam; by the set deadline. The grade is based on an overall assessment of the written product and the individual oral performance.
Individual or group exam Oral group exam based on written group product
Number of people in the group 2
Size of written product Max. 15 pages
Assignment type Report
Duration
Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
20 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and second internal examiner
Exam period Summer
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Description of the exam procedure

Based on the written mini-project, done in groups of two, the students prepare for an oral exam. At the oral exam, the two students shortly introduce the aim of the mini-project and their main findings. The rest of the time is focused on a discussion with the two examiners on the content, learnings and reflections vis-a-vis the learning objectives. 40 minutes including assessment and feedback is set aside for each exam.
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

To enrol in the course, use the attached form (to be found under Degree Options - at the bottom of the linked page) and draft a motivated application (max. two pages!). Send this to: (uganda-blc@cbs.dk ) no later than (Wednesday) 28 October 2020 at 12.00 noon. Also remember to sign up for the course through the online registration.

 

This course provides students the opportunity of applying theoretical knowledge and research methods to a practical, empirical situation. The course focuses on key issues relating to growth, employment and poverty reduction, namely entrepreneurship and private sector development in a developing country context. The course elaborates on research methods with an emphasis on doing field work in developing countries. The purpose of the course is to sensitize students to the challenges of doing field work and data collection in a developing country setting, including expanding their intercultural communicative skills by doing group work with students from the local partner university in Uganda. The course includes six modules: 1) Introduction to the Ugandan context including its historical, political, economic and socio-cultural features, 2) Key theories concerning Entrepreneurship and Private Sector Development, 3) Relevant research methodologies and methods for field work. 4) Introduction to and assessment of approaches to intercultural team/group work, 5) Field research in a developing country context (2 ½ weeks in Uganda), engaging with businesses and other institutions, 6) Assessment of experiences.

 

Further comments:

  1. The course can only run if 24 students are enrolled. This will be assessed shortly after the deadline for enrolment 
  2. Students are required to fill in the accompanying form when enrolling (note: max. 2 pages!).
  3. Students need to cover the costs of flight and accommodation, food, transport etc. during the field trip. This is estimated to be around DKK 10.000 in total (4-5000 DKK for the air ticket, 3-5000 DKK for accommodation, food, insurance, vaccinations, visa and local transport).
  4. The field trip takes place in Uganda, where the local partner university is Makerere University Business School (MUBS) in Kampala. MUBS is one of CBS’ partner universities in Africa
  5. The students will work in groups of 4 – two CBS and two MUBS students – with a research topic jointly agreed to within the overall theme ‘Entrepreneurship and Private Sector Development in Uganda’.

 

Covid-19

If the 3-weeks trip to Uganda is cancelled due to Covid-19, this part of the course will instead run as a 3-weeks intense online component during weeks 11-13. The CBS students will work with MUBS students virtually in groups of 4 (2 CBS + 2 MUBS students) – undertaking a self-selected projects using online based methods along with data collection handled by the MUBS students (to the extent that Covid-19 allows). The students will receive substantial feedback and supervision provided by the CBS and MUBS staff through Skype/Teams/Zoom and similar. The students hand in a 10-pages report Thursday 1st April 2021 and make an oral presentation to which they will receive feedback to from staff and student peers. The report will be assessed ‘passed or failed’
Description of the teaching methods
Preparational lectures prior to the field trip, including student presentations and group work, along with supportive lectures, company presentations, group work, report writing and student presentations during the field trip, and follow-up lectures and supervision of groups after the fieldwork.

Integration: The course is intended to provide the students an option of applying and extending their theoretical and practical knowledge of research methodologies and methods, e.g. acquired through participation in relevant courses on methodology (in particular methodology relating to emerging market and developing country contexts). Furthermore, the course provides an opportunity to apply relevant theories from courses on e.g. business strategies, entrepreneurship and development cooperation dealing with developing and emerging country issues to a practical setting. The students will also have the opportunity to develop and extend their competencies in interculturcal teamwork during the field trip as they will work together with local students (from Makerere University Business School, Kampala, Uganda). Moreover, the course seeks to strengthen the qualifications of the students prior to the writing of their master thesis and provide students, who intend to do field research as part of this, new or extended knowledge of tools
Feedback during the teaching period
The students will receive feedback on their work during the various phases of the course. Prior to the field trip, feedback will be given on the topics for the field work. While in Uganda, the student groups (2 CBS and 2 MUBS students) will receive feedback from their CBS and MUBS supervisors. After the field work, the students (in groups of two) will receive some feedback on their work with the mini projects prior to handing in.
Student workload
Preparation 170 hours
Teaching 50 hours
Examination, including field course 192 hours
Further Information

Lectures & Student group work, 3 hours per session, 4 weeks (probably weeks 6, 7, 8, and 9) prior to the field study. Field study from 14/3 – 1/4. Follow-up lecture 3 hours (probably week 16), followed by supervision of groups.
Expected literature

Preliminary:
 

  1. Desai, V. and Potter, R.B. (eds.): ‘Doing Development Research’ (selected chapters), Sage Publications, 2006.
  2. Country info on Uganda
  3. Entrepreneurship and Private Sector Development literature
  4. Literature on Intercultural teamwork, among others: Adler, Nancy C.: ’Cultural Synergy.’ & ’Multicultural teams.’ Pp. 76-122 (chapter 4 & 5), in: Adler, Nancy C.: ’International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior.’ The Kent International Business Series, Kent Publishing Company, Boston, 1986.
Last updated on 14-10-2020