• 1) To reframe a circular challenge as a social phenomenon
• 2) To understand, explain and compare different forms of ethnographic approaches and identify which one(s) lend itself most productively to the exploration of a social phenomenon
• 3) To plan, organize and execute team based ethnography for a social phenomenon
• 4) To translate ethnographic datapoints into anthropological insights
• 5) To align insights with existing circular frameworks and circular business models to explore the commercial opportunities for the case company
• 6) To communicate ethnographic findings and commercial opportunities in convincing ways
• 7) Critically discuss the fundamental assumptions and limitations of key concepts, analytical tools and methods from the course

Going Circular: Theory & Practice of Business in the Anthropocene

This course aims to provide students with the conceptual inventory and practical tool kits that will enable them to achieve circularity across organizational spaces. By integrating ethnographic methods with key concepts from entrepreneurship, this class equips students with the theoretical and practical knowledge needed to make transitions to sustainability.

But what is the circular economy? How may organizations transition away from the linear economy, where products are manufactured from virgin materials, used and consumed and then wasted? What are the options and approaches to organizing, documenting, communicating, and marketing circular services and products? Through this course, you will learn the basic principles of the circular economy and the strategies, market designs, and regulatory landscapes that enables circular transitions.

The course is intensive and follows a problem-based learning approach, where students develop solutions to a real-world circular challenge presented by a case company. The class requires active participation from students, with classroom activities and discussions as well as working in project teams inside and outside the classroom. The aim is to facilitate learning by participating, learning by observing, and learning by in-class presentations and critical reflections. Students will be supported in their learning process with mentoring and coaching in collaboration with the Copenhagen School of Entrepreneurship (CSE).

The class kicks off with Circula® - The Circular Economy and Entrepreneurship Game, which is a gamified approach to learning the fundamental principles of the circular economy through creative teamwork. Circula® teaches the players circular business models for sustainable business and self-awareness of one’s own strengths to achieve circularity. This class also serves the purpose of getting familiar with and having fun within your predesignated teams. In our second class, the case company will introduce their real-world circular challenge. The third class will introduce you to the different visions, strategies and frameworks for circularity by way of visiting our very own Klimahaven, which embodies the key circular strategy of Permaculture.

Over the following weeks, you will be guided through the iterative process from devising a circular strategy, to building a circular business model, to communication of accountability and marketing options. At each stage of the process, you will be supported with relevant concepts and tools to guide your learning experience within your team. In the final part of the course, your team will have the opportunity to

pitch your circular solution to the case company in the form of a slide deck. This will happen within the framework of a case competition, with evaluation and feedback from a jury and awards for the best performances. 

For further information about how this case competition went in the summer of 2024, please have a look at the Course Coordinator's staff profile under the rubric of Courses:  www.cbs.dk/en/staff/mskmsc

6-week course.

Preliminary assignment: The course coordinator uploads information about the Preliminary Assignment on Canvas at the end of May. It is expected that students participate as it will be contributing inputs toward the final exam, but the assignment is without independent assessment and grading.

Post by Copenhagen School of Entrepreneurship about Going Circular in the Summer of 2024:

To encourage practice-based learning, students worked with a case company and developed concepts & solutions for circular challenges within sustainable business innovation, internal & external communication, and partnerships across industries.

Over 6 weeks, student teams applied their learning within mapping circularity, governing value chains and delivering circularity in order to develop new circular value propositions.

The class culminated in a final presentation – demo day where Arla/AFI representatives gave feedback and assessed student’s new circular value propositions with awards provided to the top teams.

One team was chosen to visit AFI’s headquarters in Viby to be introduced to career opportunities at AFI with the possibility to share their thoughts and findings with AFI experts.

Preliminary textbooks, subject to change:

1) Weetman, Catherine (2020) A Circular Economy Handbook. How to Build a More Resilient, Competitive and Sustainable Business. London: Kogan Page Ltd.

2) Sillanpää, Mika & Chaker Ncibi (2019) The Circular Economy: Case Studies about the Transition from the Linear Economy. London: Academic Press.