2024/2025 KAN-CCMVI2125U Sustainable Capitalism in the Nordics?
English Title | |
Sustainable Capitalism in the Nordics? |
Course information |
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Language | English |
Course ECTS | 7.5 ECTS |
Type | Elective |
Level | Full Degree Master |
Duration | Summer |
Start time of the course | Summer |
Timetable | Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk |
Min. participants | 30 |
Max. participants | 60 |
Study board |
Study Board for cand.merc. and GMA (CM)
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Course coordinator | |
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For academic questions related to the course, please contact course coordinator Robert Strand (rs.msc@cbs.dk) | |
Main academic disciplines | |
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Teaching methods | |
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Last updated on 07/11/2024 |
Relevant links |
Learning objectives | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
To achieve a superior grade, students should meet
the following learning objectives:
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Course prerequisites | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Completed Bachelors degree or equivalent. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Examination | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Course content, structure and pedagogical approach | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Humanity faces significant challenges. Climate change, poverty, health & wellbeing, access to quality education, decent work, eradication of biodiversity, and growing inequalities are just a few of the interconnected “wicked problems” represented by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) demanding urgent action. Against these challenges, the Nordics stand out as a valuable benchmark. Nordic countries and companies are routinely cited as global sustainability leaders, frequently topping sustainability performance indicators like the SDG Index. While the Nordics have their challenges, their standout SDG performances invite deeper exploration.
This course delves into the essence of capitalism. We begin with the question, “is capitalism sustainable?” and proceed from there in this discussion-based course. We compare the US and the Nordic contexts, thereby contrasting “American capitalism” with “Nordic capitalism.” As a base text, we utilize the (forthcoming) book Nordic Capitalism: Lessons for Realizing Sustainable Capitalism by the course instructor, Robert Strand.
In our explorations, we aim to understand the cultural norms and institutional factors of the Nordic context and hypothesize how they influence sustainability activities and outcomes at the societal and company levels. As a matter of comparison, we invoke considerations of the Nordic context vis-a-vis the U.S. context while welcoming participants to bring their comparative contexts from whatever parts of the world they may come.
Preliminary assignment: Familiarize yourself with the
course's required texts (papers by Milton Friedman & Robert
Strand; books by Anu Partanen & Lynn Stout). This
does not mean you are expected to have fully read in advance of the
course - that would of course only be beneficial but is not
expected - but rather it means that you spend time getting a good
sense for the issues covered in these texts. Based on
all of this and any other research and experiences you may have
previously done, offer your immediate hypothesis as to how the
Nordic region is realizing comparatively superior SDG outcomes in
the form of a short paper.
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Description of the teaching methods | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Students complete readings and assigned materials in advance of each session followed by live, in-person engagement during scheduled class periods with dynamic and interactive discussions. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Feedback during the teaching period | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Feedback activity: Each student identifies a Nordic-based company that they feel is engaging in sustainability in a characteristically “Nordic” manner. Give an oral presentation to the class describing the company, what they are doing with respect to sustainability, and why they feel it is characteristically “Nordic” drawing upon materials and discussions from the course. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Student workload | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Further Information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3-week course that cannot be combined with any other course . Preliminary Assignment: The course coordinator uploads Preliminary Assignment on Canvas at the end of May. It is expected that students participate as it will be included in the final exam, but the assignment is without independent assessment and grading.
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Expected literature | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mandatory readings:
Strand, Robert. (forthcoming). Nordic Capitalism: Lessons for Realizing Sustainable Capitalism. Chapters by the course instructor will be provided in advance of the course.
Partanen, Anu. (2017). The Nordic Theory of Everything: In Search of a Better Life. Gerald Duckworth & Co. (Available via Amazon, other booksellers. Any version of the publication is suitable.)
Friedman, Milton. (1970). The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits. New York Times Magazine. (Google this article title to locate.)
Stout, Lynn. A. (2012). The Shareholder Value Myth: How Putting Shareholders First Harms Investors, Corporations, and the Public. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. (Available via Amazon, other booksellers. Any version of the publication is suitable.)
Strand, Robert. (2014). Scandinavia Can Be an Inspiration for Creating Shared Value. Financial Times, April 25. Available at https://www.ft.com/content/84bbd770-b34d-11e3-b09d-00144feabdc0.
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