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2024/2025  KAN-CPOLV1024U  Big Tech Platforms: Technology, Power & Politics

English Title
Big Tech Platforms: Technology, Power & Politics

Course information

Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Elective
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Quarter
Start time of the course First Quarter, Fourth Quarter
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for BSc/MSc i International Business and Politics, MSc
Course coordinator
  • Lars Dyrhagen - Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC)
  • Co-coordinator
    Mikkel Flyverbom - Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC)
Main academic disciplines
  • Globalisation and international business
  • Information technology
  • Political Science
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 26-01-2024

Relevant links

Learning objectives
This course explores and questions how tech platforms apply power to change markets for democracy, products and labor.

Whether your career will be within a business, policy-making, media, academia or civil society - and whether you want to fight the power of tech platforms, observe it, or promote it - the course will help you to:
  • Be familiar with theories regarding the constitution of platforms, technology, power and markets.
  • Demonstrate knowledge about the dynamics between technology and the markets for democracy, products and labor.
  • Analyze cases and situations of rapid technological change and their implications to participating actors within technology, business, public policy, civil society, academia and media.
  • Assess policy interventions on tech platforms in local, national and international contexts.
Course prerequisites
This course focuses on interactions between the tech sector and the governmental actors involved in shaping public policies. Your interest in how the tech platforms, technology and digitization change the way we consume, live and work will help you relate to and succeed in this course.
Examination
Bic Tech Platforms: Technology, Power & Politics:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Home assignment - written product
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Max. 15 pages
Assignment type Case based assignment
Release of assignment The Assignment is released in Digital Exam (DE) at exam start
Duration 2 weeks to prepare
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) One internal examiner
Exam period Autumn and Summer, For the Q1 Quarter Course (Appr. August to October) the exam will be in the Fall.
.

For the Q4 Quarter Course (Appr. April to June) the exam will be in the Summer.
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
A new exam assignment must be answered. This applies to all students (failed, ill, or otherwise).
Description of the exam procedure

You will receive two weeks to prepare and hand-in the exam. 

Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

In recent years, tech platforms emerge as some of the most powerful institutions on the planet impacting the markets for commerce, democracy, and labor.

 

  • Amazon and Netflix outcompete incumbent businesses and change the landscape of commerce and culture;

 

  • Facebook and Google challenge democracy and media; and 

 

  • Uber accelerates the gig economy and the way people work conflicting traditional interests of labor unions.

 

Meanwhile, policymakers in Brussels, Beijing, Washington D.C. and other capitals struggle to keep pace with formulating and designing policies that keep pace with technological innovation.

 

This course will challenge your practical and intellectual senses. Practically, the course will equip you to understand the way tech platforms changes how we trade, make political decisions and work. And intellectually, you will be part of a course not afraid of asking the big questions starting with "why" and "how" without definite answers.

Description of the teaching methods
The course offers you a mix of learning in-class, online and offline. Be prepared for interactions and active engagement.
Feedback during the teaching period
We will work with prepared and spontaneous feedback in three forms: Student-to-student, student-to-teacher and teacher-to-student.
Student workload
Lectures and workshops 35 hours
Preparation (studying for lectures and workshops) 91 hours
Exam preparation 80 hours
Expected literature

Online - and without payment - you will able to access almost all of the course syllabus from the CBS Library website. 

 

The syllabus draws on literature of management, political science, economics, sociology and technology that will sharpen your academic and theoretical competence. Real-life cases will challenge you to put your knowledge at play in practice.

 

The course is organized around four blocks:

 

INTRO & THE BASICS: THE MULTI-SIDES PLATFORMS

 

 

 

 

PRODUCTS & SERVICES: E-COMMERCE, FINTECH & ENTERTAINMENT 

 

 

 

WORK: GIG WORKERS & THE FUTURE OF WORK 

 

 

 

DEMOCRACY & ETHICS: PARTICIPATION & TRANSPARENCY 

 

 

Last updated on 26-01-2024