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2025/2026  KAN-CSOAV2502U  Organizing For Desirable Futures

English Title
Organizing For Desirable Futures

Course information

Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Elective
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Autumn
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Max. participants 80
Study board
Study Board of Organisation, Strategy, Leadership & People
Course coordinator
  • Birke Otto - Department of Business Humanities and Law (BHL)
  • Liv Egholm - Department of Business Humanities and Law (BHL)
Main academic disciplines
  • CSR and sustainability
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Human resource management
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 27-02-2025

Relevant links

Learning objectives
  • Explore alternative forms of organizing in private, public and civil society sectors
  • Gain an understanding of the visions, strategies, and values driving transformative organizing
  • Identify alternative approaches to decision-making, ownership structures, leadership styles, and growth models
  • Engage in discussions about the limitations, paradoxes, and unintended consequences of alternative forms of organizing
  • Develop a critical understanding of the historical, social, and economic conditions fostering the emergence of alternative organizations
  • Articulate and defend a stance on alternative ways of organizing in relation to social, economic and organizational theories of change and their critiques
Examination
Organizing for Desirable Futures:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Home assignment - written product
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Max. 10 pages
Assignment type Project
Release of assignment Subject chosen by students themselves, see guidelines if any
Duration Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) One internal examiner
Exam period Winter
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Description of the exam procedure

Students must show the ability to critically engage with the theoretical concepts and literature discussed in class by researching and analysing one particular case. 

Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

The objective of this course is to examine the managerial, entrepreneurial, and operational challenges faced by organizations striving for more desirable futures. We focus on research of 'alternative organizations' that encompass a range of practices to address issues such as environmental degradation, social inequalities, and democratic instability. As these organizations are primarily value-driven, they develop experimental practices that seek to depart from more conventional governance structures found in neoclassical economics. For example, by prioritizing values such as sustainability, equality, responsibility, and care, alternative organizations experiment with organising practices that aim to challenge the prevailing emphasis on shareholder value, growth, and competition. We explore such alternative ways of organizing in various types of organizations, including large businesses, small startups, social enterprises, public agencies, worker and consumer cooperatives, and social movements.

 

The first module of the course introduces different definitions, types, and values associated with alternative organizations. This implies that we engage with various critiques of conventional organizing to understand how alternative organizations emerge in response to salient issues or institutional failures. In the second module, students analyze case studies to explore how the lens of alternative organisations allows us to gain new or different perspectives on central themes of organising, such as innovation, leadership, digitalism, sustainability, and diversity. We will thereby discuss alternative ways of understanding decision-making processes, ownership structures, leadership styles, and (post)growth models, as well as how they may contribute to achieving sustainable social change. The final part of the course examines the systemic and institutional conditions necessary for scaling up change initiatives and creating resilient and sustainable organizations.

 

We aim is to foster a critical understanding of alternative organizing practices, including their limitations, paradoxes and unintended effects, by considering various social, economic and organizational theories of change. The case studies encompass alternative finance organizations, 'non-growing' companies, leaderless organizations, digital commons, circular economies, or sustainable entrepreneurship. tudents also have the opportunity to select additional case studies based on their interests and preferences and to discuss their insights with practitioners, who will share how they translate their values and visions of transformation into concrete daily organizational practices.

 

The course is part of the minor in Building Organizations for Sustainable Futures: Business and Economics in Transformation, but can also be selected individually. It adresses students in their last year of their master who are looking for inspiration for their master theses.

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
  • Teacher’s own research
Research-like activities
  • Development of research questions
  • Data collection
  • Analysis
  • Discussion, critical reflection, modelling
Description of the teaching methods
The course consists of lectures, case discussions and group work. Student groups are expected to prepare an oral presentation based on a case of an alternative organization to be presented in class. This exercise acts as preparation of the exam.
Feedback during the teaching period
The course offers the following feedback mechanisms:
Students will have the opportunity to present a case study on an alternative organization followed by structured peer-to-peer feedback. This prepared interaction will form the basis for in-class discussions. Student presentation groups will also receive individual feedback from teaching staff.

Student workload
Preparation 125 hours
Teaching 33 hours
Examination (incl preparation) 50 hours
Expected literature

Davis, G.F. (2016) ‘Can an economy survive without corporations? Technology and robust organizational alternatives’, Academy of Management Perspectives, 30(2): 129–140.

 

Freeman, J. (1972) ‘The Tyranny of Structurelessness’, The Second Wave (2:1).

 

Jackson, T. (2019) ‘The Post-Growth Challenge: Secular Stagnation, Inequality and the Limits to Growth’, Ecological Economics, 156: 236-246.

 

Mair, J., & Rathert, N. (2019) ‘Alternative organizing with social purpose: Revisiting institutional analysis of market-based activity’. Socio-Economic Review.

 

Parker, M., Cheney, G., Fournier, V. & Land, C. (eds.) (2014) The Routledge Companion to Alternative Organization. London: Routledge.

 

Rothschild-Whitt, J (1979). The Collectivist Organization: An Alternative to Rational-Bureaucratic Models., American Sociological Review, 44(4):  509-527.

Last updated on 27-02-2025