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2026/2027  KAN-CCBLV2501U  Field Study: Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development in Uganda

English Title
Field Study: Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development in Uganda

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 15 ECTS
Type Elective
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Spring
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Min. participants 30
Max. participants 30
Study board
Study Board for Global Business and Politics
Programme Master of Science in Business, Language and Culture
Course coordinator
  • Søren Jeppesen - Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC)
  • Thilde Langevang - Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC)
Main academic disciplines
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Globalisation and international business
Teaching methods
  • Face-to-face teaching
Last updated on 09-09-2026

Relevant links
Learning objectives
At the end of the course the students should be able to:
  • Outline and reflect critically on a range of methodologies and theories of relevance to field research in a developing country setting related to the field of Entrepreneurship and Private Sector Development.
  • Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the empirical results in the light of the methodologies and theories.
  • Assess the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to intercultural team/group work in the light of the practical experiences from the field.
  • Plan and execute social scientific research, including field research in a developing country context.
Course prerequisites
To sign up for the course you must draft a motivated application at max. 1 page. Please include the following:

• Which CBS Master programme you are enrolled in
• List relevant courses, which you have participated in
• Description of your motivation for participating in the course
• Description of your prior experiences from African or other developing countries (such as working, studying, internship, business, visiting)

Send the application to the e-mail: (uganda-blc@cbs.dk) no later than 8th December 2026 at 23.59.

Students selected for a place in the course will receive a response to their application approximately 10 days after the application deadline.

Students must also sign up for the course in the 2nd registration round for the Spring elective courses.Please see the deadlines at my.cbs.dk


Fluency in English. Relevant theoretical knowledge of business in developing and emerging markets, including participation in course on developing and emerging economies as well as field research methods.
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
Oral presentations etc.
Participation in the entire field trip and oral presentation.
Examination
Field Study: Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development in Uganda:
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 Oral group exam based on written group product
Number of people in the group 2
Size of written product Max. 15 pages
Assignment type Report
Release of assignment Subject chosen by students themselves, see guidelines if any
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 Summer
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Description of the exam procedure

Based on the written mini-project, done in groups of two, the students prepare for an oral exam. At the oral exam, the two students shortly introduce the aim of the mini-project and their main findings. The rest of the time is focused on a discussion with the two examiners on the content, learnings and reflections vis-a-vis the learning objectives. 40 minutes including assessment and feedback is set aside for each exam.
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

This course provides students the opportunity of applying theoretical knowledge and research methods to a practical, empirical situation. The course focuses on key issues relating to sustainable development, growth, employment and poverty reduction, namely entrepreneurship and sustainable development in a developing country context. The course elaborates on research methods with an emphasis on doing field work in developing countries. The purpose of the course is to sensitize students to the challenges of doing field work and data collection in a developing country setting, including expanding their intercultural communicative skills by doing group work with students from the local partner university in Uganda. The course includes six modules: 1) Introduction to the Ugandan context including its historical, political, economic and socio-cultural features, 2) Key theories concerning Entrepreneurship and Development of the Private Sector, and their role in Sustainable Development. 3) Relevant research methodologies and methods for field work. 4) Introduction to and assessment of approaches to intercultural team/group work, 5) Field research in a developing country context (2 weeks in Uganda), engaging with businesses and other institutions, 6) Assessment of experiences. The final module also includes dissemination activities in order to engage fellow CBS students as well as the Danish population at large.

 

Further comments:

  1. The course can only run if 30 students are enrolled. This will be assessed shortly after the deadline for enrolment 
  2. Students are required to fill in the accompanying form when enrolling (note: max. 2 pages!).
  3. Students need to cover the costs of flight and accommodation, food, transport etc. during the field trip. This is estimated to be around DKK 11.000 in total (4-6000 DKK for the air ticket, 3-5000 DKK for accommodation, food, insurance, vaccinations, visa and local transport).
  4. The field trip takes place in Uganda, where the local partner university is Makerere University Business School (MUBS) in Kampala. MUBS is one of CBS’ partner universities in Africa
  5. The students will work in groups of 4 – two CBS and two MUBS students – with a research topic jointly agreed to within the overall theme of ‘Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development in Uganda’.

 

Field trip

The field trip takes place from 7 March - 20 March. The CBS students will work with MUBS students in groups of 4 (2 CBS + 2 MUBS students) – undertaking self-selected projects using relevant methods for data collection. The students will receive substantial feedback and supervision provided by the CBS and MUBS staff. The students make an oral presentation Friday 19th March to which they will receive feedback from staff and student peers. The presentation will be assessed ‘passed or failed’. 
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
  • New theory
  • Teacher’s own research
  • Methodology
Research-like activities
  • Data collection
  • Analysis
  • Discussion, critical reflection, modelling
  • Students conduct independent research-like activities under supervision
Description of the teaching methods
Preparational lectures prior to the field trip, including student presentations and group work, along with supportive lectures, company presentations, group work and student presentations during the field trip, and follow-up lectures and supervision of groups after the fieldwork.

Integration: The course is intended to provide the students an option of applying and extending their theoretical and practical knowledge of research methodologies and methods, e.g. acquired through participation in relevant courses on methodology (in particular methodology relating to emerging market and developing country contexts). Furthermore, the course provides an opportunity to apply relevant theories from courses on e.g. business strategies, entrepreneurship and sustainable development dealing with developing and emerging country issues to a practical setting. The students will also have the opportunity to develop and extend their competencies in interculturcal teamwork during the field trip as they will work together with local students (from Makerere University Business School, Kampala, Uganda). Moreover, the course seeks to strengthen the qualifications of the students prior to the writing of their master thesis and provide students, who intend to do field research as part of this, new or extended knowledge of tools. Through the dissemination activities, the students will also acquire further skills in knowledge sharing to wider audiences through podcasts, blog posts, social media and more.
Feedback during the teaching period
The students will receive feedback on their work during the various phases of the course. Prior to the field trip, feedback will be given on the topics for the field work. While in Uganda, the student groups (2 CBS and 2 MUBS students) will receive feedback from their CBS and MUBS supervisors. After the field work, the students (in groups of two) will receive some feedback on their work with the mini projects prior to handing in.
Student workload
Preparation 170 hours
Teaching 50 hours
Examination, including field course 192 hours
Further Information

Lectures & Student group work, 3 hours per session, 4 weeks (probably weeks 6, 7, 8 and 9) prior to the field study. Field study from 09/3 – 25/3. Follow-up lecture 3 hours (probably week 15), followed by supervision of CBS groups (of two students each). 
Expected literature

Preliminary:
 

  1. Desai, V. and Potter, R.B. (eds.): ‘Doing Development Research’ (selected chapters), Sage Publications, 2006.
  2. Country info on Uganda
  3. Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development literature
  4. Literature on Intercultural teamwork, among others: Adler, Nancy C.: ’Cultural Synergy.’ & ’Multicultural teams.’ Pp. 76-122 (chapter 4 & 5), in: Adler, Nancy C.: ’International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior.’ The Kent International Business Series, Kent Publishing Company, Boston, 1986.
Last updated on 09-09-2026