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2026/2027  BA-BSOCO1810U  Introduction to Economic Sociology

English Title
Introduction to Economic Sociology

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Bachelor
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Autumn
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for Global Relations
Programme BSc in Business Administration and Sociology
Course coordinator
  • Alfred Reckendrees - Department of Business Humanities and Law (BHL)
  • Lasse Folke Henriksen - Department of Organization (IOA)
Main academic disciplines
  • Organisation
  • Sociology
  • Economics
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 26-06-2026

Relevant links
Learning objectives
On completion of the two courses Fundamentals of Social Theory and Introduction to Economic Sociology, the student should be able to
  • understand and discuss different concepts from classical social theory and economic sociology
  • identify essential similarities and differences between theoretical positions from social theory and from economic sociology and choose appropriate concepts for discussing a problem
  • analyze corporate, social, environmental and political problems by employing and combining concepts from social theory and economic sociology with the aim of developing ideas for solutions
  • reflect upon the reach and relevance of theoretical positions for understanding present and future challenges
  • write an argumentative paper with a clear structure that conforms to academic writing standards, in particular correctly quoting, citing, and referencing of the literature
  • critically reflect upon employing concepts from classical social theory and economic sociology on a practical case
Course prerequisites
The courses Introduction to Economic Sociology (IES) and Fundamentals of Social Theory (FST) have one integrated project exam. You can only participate in IES if you also register for FST.
Prerequisites for registering for the exam (activities during the teaching period)
Number of compulsory activities which must be approved (see section 13 of the Programme Regulations): 1
Compulsory home assignments
This course shares a compulsory mid-term assignment with the FST course. The compulsory assignment has the form of a 10 page home written paper to be written in groups of four students. The aim of the assignment is feedback and preparing for the exam.
Examination
Interdisciplinary examination in Social Theory and Economic Sociology:
Exam ECTS 15
Examination form Oral exam based on written product

In order to participate in the oral exam, the written product must be handed in before the oral exam; by the set deadline. The grade is based on an overall assessment of the written product and the individual oral performance, see also the rules about examination forms in the programme regulations.
Individual or group exam Individual oral exam based on written group product
Number of people in the group 3-4
Size of written product Max. 10 pages
The reference list (not included in the page count) is also subject to grading as correct citation and referencing of literature is part of the learning objectives.

The student groups will receive an exam package with material from which they can chose one topic for their project that will be examined individually in the context of the course syllabi of the two courses.
Assignment type Project
Release of assignment The Assignment is released in Digital Exam (DE) at exam start
Duration
Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
20 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and second internal examiner
Exam period Winter
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
a) If a group does not hand-in the project the group has to prepare a new project for the re-exam
b) If students fail the oral exam, they have to revise the group project and resubmit for the oral exam
c) If a student is ill on the scheduled oral exam day, the student will be examined based on the submitted group project
Description of the exam procedure

Students will have 7days to prepare the written product.

 

The exam of the courses IES and FST takes the form of a 10 page discussion paper that analyses a specific problem or challenge at the intersection of Business and Society using concepts and theories from both courses, and aims at developing ideas for sustainable solutions to the problem.

 

Students will be provided with an exam question and materials for the analysis.

 

The two courses with their mandatory readings, two joint workshops of IES and FST, and academic writing exercises prepare for this exam.
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

The objective of this course is to introduce to key concepts of Economic Sociology. We study markets and firms in changing environments and societies: How do markets work? What do firms do and how are they organised? How do firms and markets interact with each other?
We ask these questions because markets are constructed by firms and other actors such as the state. They are embedded within social and political structures. Such relations as well as interactions within and between firms are of interest to Economic Sociology and are at the centre of the course.
We deepen the understanding of concepts and theories by applying them to contemporary and historical cases and challenges in order to better understand complex phenomena and the effects of business decisions, and to discuss posisble solutions to such challenges. During the workshops and in the exam (together with FST) we focus on „big“ social, economic, human, and environmental challenges and analyse the role that companies play.

We work together in groups in class and at home to take advantage of different educational backgrounds and previous experience.

 

The Introduction to Economic Sociology is deeply bedded with the Nordic Nine framework, particularly developing business knowledge based in a broad social and economic context, learning to deal with ambiguity, and finding solutions in collaboration with other. We prepare for analyzing “big” economic issues as well as and their impact on society and how to potentially overcome these problems.

 

This course also introduces students to different types of academic texts, and how to read and understand them, and includes academic writing exercises (finding literature and referencing, structuring an argumentation).
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
  • Teacher’s own research
  • Methodology
Research-like activities
  • Development of research questions
  • Analysis
  • Discussion, critical reflection, modelling
  • Peer review including Peer-to-peer
Description of the teaching methods
The course is based on weekly lectures and integrated interactive exercises, which include text work, case discussions, group work, and brief student presentations.
Students are expected to be well prepared before class. This includes reading book chapters and articles and engaging with online materials.
Pre-recorded videos, other online materials, and quizzes support lecture preparation. The different approaches will be evaluated in a mid-term evaluation.

Voluntary assignments (quizzes and a writing exercise) support the learning process and provide opportunities for feedback.

Two joined workshops of the courses IES and FST help prepare for the compulsory mid-term assignment and the final exam. In these workshops, groups of students work on a specific case similar to an exam case (but much smaller in scope) and develop a presentation.
Feedback during the teaching period
Teachers provide continuous feedback during lectures, on home assignments and in the workshops.
1. Students receive collective feedback during class and individual feedback on quizzes and assignments (usually via CANVAS) regarding the understanding of the syllabus.
2. The compulsory mid-term assignment is followed by a feedback workshop that includes guided peer-to-peer feedback and individual teachers' feedback to each group and reflections on group work.
3. Consultation hours are available for all students, specific hours will be announced. Students are asked to make use of the consultation time individually or in groups. In addition, meetings on-demand can be organized.
4. For the group exam project feedback will be offered after the oral exams.
Student workload
preparing for classes (2h per 1h teaching) 80 hours
Lectures 39 hours
Excercises: Acadmic writing 8 hours
Compulsory mid-term assignment perparation (50% FST) 10 hours
Compulsory mid-term assignment (50% FST) 10 hours
Exam preparation workshops/Integrated IES&FST 9 hours
Exam preparation (50% FST) 25 hours
Writing the exam (50% FST) 20 hours
Preparing for the oral exam (50% FST) 5 hours
Further Information

The primary purpose of the two courses in IES and FST is to encourage and enable students to think across disciplines (Social Theory and Economic Sociology) and to learn using concepts and theories for understanding big challenges and thinking about solutions.
Expected literature

Textbook

Carruthers, Bruce G. and Babb, Sarah L. (2013). Economy/Society. Markets, Meanings, and Social Structure (2nd. ed.), Thousand Oaks, London: SAGE. ISBN 978-1-4129-9496-5. (select chapters)

 

Articles include, f.e.

Beckert, J. (1999) 'Agency, Entrepreneurs, and Institutional Change. The Rolle of Strategic Choice and Institutionalized Practices in Organizations.' Organization Studies 20(5), 777-799.

Fligstein, N. (2002) 'Markets as Politics: A Political-Cultural Approach to Market Institutions' In Readings in Economic Sociology, ed. by N. Woolsey Biggert, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 197-218.

Granovetter, M. (2002) 'Economic Action and Social Structure: The Problem of Embeddedness', In Readings in Economic Sociology, ed. by N. Woolsey Biggert, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 69-93.

Schumpeter, J. (1942/1994) 'The Process of Creative Destruction' In Capitalism, Socialism & Democracy. With a New Introduction by R. Swedberg, London & New York, pp. 81-86.

Williamson, O.E. (1981). 'The Economics of Organization: The Transaction Cost Approach.' American Journal of Sociology87(3), 548–577.
Last updated on 26-06-2026