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2022/2023  BA-BHAAV2276U  Green Transition and Business Innovation

English Title
Green Transition and Business Innovation

Course information

Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Elective
Level Bachelor
Duration One Quarter
Start time of the course Third Quarter
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Max. participants 60
Study board
Study Board for BSc in Economics and Business Administration
Course coordinator
  • Faith Hatani - Department of International Economics, Goverment and Business (EGB)
Main academic disciplines
  • CSR and sustainability
  • Globalisation and international business
  • Innovation
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 28-09-2022

Relevant links

Learning objectives
The main learning objectives are as follows;
  • Explain academic concepts and theoretical frameworks in international business studies applicable to the analysis of green transition, and appropriately use them in your analysis.
  • Analyse the major driving forces and challenges that MNEs may face in the green transition in different industries and countries
  • Identify key stakeholders of a firm’s business in a given context and assess how their interactions promote or hinder the green transition.
  • Critically assess MNEs’ practices and elaborate on the positive and negative impacts of their innovative business on sustainability
  • Develop and demonstrate your own arguments about the role of the MNE in the green transition, and suggest actionable strategies and policy implications logically in a proper academic style.
Course prerequisites
The course is open to all undergraduate students. There is no particular prerequisite to taking this course. However, genuine interest and good insight into the role of international business in promoting green transition are essential. The knowledge of the academic literature on international business studies and global value chains is preferable. A good understanding of the nexus between business strategy and government policies is advantageous.
Examination
Green Transition and Business Innovation:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Home assignment - written product
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Max. 10 pages
Assignment type Essay
Duration 7 days to prepare
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) One internal examiner
Exam period Spring
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Description of the exam procedure

The exam question will provide a general setting and key issues. Students individually need to decide their analytical focus and develop their arguments, which must address the exam question clearly and directly. To do so, students should draw upon the course materials, and also conduct a literature search to find additional relevant academic sources to provide in-depth analysis and discussion, and write in a proper academic-writing style.

Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

The green transition should be a shared goal of local societies and the international community to realise sustainability. This is indeed a key aspect of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in which the partnerships across sectors are crucial. This course considers how firms could contribute to this global agenda through their businesses.

While the course will cover different countries, the main focus is placed on Europe and Asia-Pacific. Firms’ technological competitiveness and innovation efforts, backed by the green growth policies in their countries, are pivotal to promote the green transition across borders.

The course will cover not only energy issues but also business efforts for environmentally-friendly practices in different industries. By doing so, the course examines how various actors could partake in the transition and consider the challenges they face. 

 

 

Description of the teaching methods
The course consists of lectures on analytical frameworks, case studies, class discussions and exercises. Each lecture topic will be taught through a mixture of theories/concepts and case studies. Students’ active interactions and knowledge-sharing relevant to the course contents will form an integral part of the course.
Feedback during the teaching period
- Oral feedback on in-class discussions
- Oral feedback on exercise activities
- Q&A in the Discussion Forum on the Canvas platform.
Students can obtain continuous feedback through proactive participation in class activities. Thus, attendance at classes is very important. Students should be well-prepared to participate in class proactively.

Student workload
Lectures 38 hours
Course preparation/self-studying and exam 170 hours
Expected literature

Background reading:

OECD (2019) Innovation and business/market opportunities associated with energy transitions and a cleaner global environment.

 

Bass, A. E., & Grøgaard, B. (2021) The long-term energy transition: Drivers, outcomes, and the role of the multinational enterprise. Journal of International Business Studies, 52, 807–823.

 

Doh, J., Budhwar, P., & Wood, G. (2021) Long-term energy transitions and international business: Concepts, theory, methods, and a research agenda. Journal of International Business Studies, 52, 951–970.

 

Kemp, R., & Never, B. (2017) Green transition, industrial policy, and economic development. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 33(1), 66–84.

 

Lundan, S., & Leymann, G. (2021) Investing in sustainable infrastructure: New directions for international business research. Transnational Corporations, 28(3), 147-157.

 

 

Note: The suggested readings above are only for an indicative purpose to give the background information about the course’s general theme. The course materials will include academic journal articles, policy reports and case studies. A complete reading list will be uploaded on Canvas before the course begins.

Last updated on 28-09-2022