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2025/2026  KAN-CKOMV1508U  International Lobbying & Corporate Public Policy

English Title
International Lobbying & Corporate Public Policy

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
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board of Technology & Digitalisation
Course coordinator
  • Co-coordinator
    Anne Vestergaard - Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC)
  • Course coordinator
    Lars Dyrhagen - Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC)
Main academic disciplines
  • Globalisation and international business
  • Political Science
  • Strategy
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 07-02-2025

Relevant links
Learning objectives
Public policy will probably play a significant role in your career. No product or service is completely free from regulation. You may consider becoming an international lobbyist or learning to collaborate with public policy experts to achieve organizational objectives. Alternatively, you might work in an NGO opposing private sector influence in politics or join the media or academic fields to study lobbying.

This course will help you to:
  • Be familiar with theories regarding international lobbying, influence and power.
  • Demonstrate knowledge about the dynamics among business, government, civil society, academia and media.
  • Analyze international lobbying cases and corporate public policy, focusing on their effects on business, government, civil society, academia and media.
  • Assess public policy interventions of governments on businesses locally, nationally and internationally.
Course prerequisites
This course looks at how the private sector and government work together and against each other in shaping public policy. You don't need to be a policy expert, but interest in business interactions with government and their effects on policy, business results, and democracy will be of great help to your success.
Examination
International Lobbying & Corporate Public Policy:
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, The ordinary exam will be in Fall (appr. October-November).
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).
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

The course examines how companies are increasingly using in-house lobbyists and policy experts to reach their business goals. 

 

We will explore the challenges of international lobbying, including:

 

  • Business impact: Understand why organizations lobby and their goals.

 

  • Analyses: Learn what effective lobbying looks like in an international context and how to measure it.

 

  • Strategy: Explore how corporations align lobbying and public policies with their overall global strategies.

 

  • Ethics, power & democracy: Discuss who benefits from corporate lobbying activities and at what cost or gains to society at large.

 

The course will be both practically engaging and intellectually thought-provoking, encouraging discussions on real-life lobbying cases and public policy dilemmas.
Research-based teaching
CBS’ programmes and teaching are research-based. The following types of research-based knowledge and research-like activities are included in this course:
Research-based knowledge
  • Classic and basic theory
  • New theory
  • Models
Research-like activities
  • Analysis
  • Discussion, critical reflection, modelling
Description of the teaching methods
The course includes in-class, online, and offline learning.

We will tackle difficult questions and dilemmas together, so be ready to engage actively in the interactions.
Feedback during the teaching period
We will use spontaneous feedback through mini challenges on corporate dilemmas defined by your teacher and maxi challenges on real lobbying cases defined by students.
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 course draws on literature from management, political science and economics that will sharpen your academic and theoretical competence. Real-life cases will challenge you to put your knowledge at play in practice.

 

The organization of the course could look like this:

 

INTRO & THE BASICS 

 

 

 

THE PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS

 

 

 

 

THE LOBBYING STRATEGY

 

 

 

 

ETHICS & TRANSPARENCY

 

 

 

THE STAKEHOLDER IDENTIFICATION 

 
Last updated on 07-02-2025