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2022/2023  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
  • Ayca Uygur Wessel - Department of International Economics, Goverment and Business (EGB)
  • Maj Grasten - Department of Business Humanities and Law
Main academic disciplines
  • International political economy
  • Political leadership and public management
  • Sociology
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 26-08-2022

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
  • assess the ways in which business, governments, and civil society respond to current societal challenges
  • 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 section 13 of the Programme Regulations): 1
Compulsory home assignments
The course involves one compulsory assignment (pass/fail). Students have to have this assignment approved in order to sit the exam. The assignment is written (one page synopsis) on a set question provided by the course coordinator. The purpose of the assignment is to prepare students for the integrated exam. The set question resembles the MEII-BPS exam questions.
Examination
Business in Context:
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, see also the rules about examination forms in the programme regulations.
Individual or group exam Individual oral exam based on written group product
Number of people in the group 4-5
Size of written product Max. 15 pages
Assignment type Essay
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 Winter
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
However, the following supplementary rules apply:

a) In case that single group members could not sit the oral exam due to illness the re-take exam will be based on the already submitted essay.

b) In case that one of the group members was awarded the grade 00 or below at the oral examination, the failed student must additionally submit individually before the re-take a 2-3 page paper on aspects of the project as specified by the examiner.

c) In case that all members of the group were awarded grade 00 or below at the oral exam, the essay is deemed unacceptable. Before the re-exam the essay must be revised, improved and re-submitted.
Description of the exam procedure

The two courses ‘Business, Politics and Society’ and ‘Managerial Economics II’ are assessed in an integrated exam.

- The examination is an individual oral exam based on a group essay (15 pages)

- The essay (group work) has to be written within a time period of two weeks and to be handed in on a set date before the beginning of the oral exams.

- The student will be awarded one grade reflecting the overall assessment of the essay and the 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 business, governments, and civil society in different social and societal settings. It places business knowledge in a broader societal context. 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 two streams: constituting governance (I) and contesting governance (II). 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 lectures with workshops, 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 individual one-page home assignment. Individual feedback is offered during office hours.

The course includes two joint workshops with the Managerial Economics II course which prepare the students for the exam.

Students are strongly encouraged to make use of the office hours of the course coordinator and lecturers.
Student workload
Lectures 38 hours
Lecture preparation (6h per 3h lecture) 76 hours
Assignments 48 hours
Essay 20 hours
Oral Exam preparation 20 hours
Div. 4 hours
Further Information

The course includes two joint workshops with the Managerial Economics II course which prepare the students for the exam.
Expected literature

​Academic articles and chapters, which will be made available on canvas, as well as online tools (prerecorded videos and quizzes). A comprehensive reading list can be found in the course plan that will be published on canvas before classes begin.
Last updated on 26-08-2022