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2026/2027  KAN-CKOMO3015U  Societal Actors, Issues and Agendas

English Title
Societal Actors, Issues and Agendas

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 15 ECTS
Type Mandatory (also offered as elective)
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Spring
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for Digitalisation, Technology and Communication
Programme Master of Science in Business Administration and Organizational Communication
Course coordinator
  • Anne Vestergaard - Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC)
Main academic disciplines
  • CSR and sustainability
  • Globalisation and international business
  • Communication
Teaching methods
  • Face-to-face teaching
Last updated on 15-06-2026

Relevant links
Learning objectives
  • demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key theories and perspectives on business as a societal actor and on the formation of public issues involving multiple actors
  • demonstrate understanding of how diverse societal actors (e.g. firms, governments, NGOs, media, citizens) participate in and shape contested issue fields
  • apply relevant theories and perspectives to analyze empirical cases in a theoretically informed manner that goes beyond descriptive or common-sense accounts
  • analyze the development of public issues by identifying competing agendas, underlying tensions, and power relations across economic, political, and cultural contexts
  • identify, select, and use relevant contextual information to support case-based analysis
  • communicate analyses and reflections clearly, accurately, and coherently, using appropriate academic concepts and terminology, both orally and in writing
Examination
Societal Actors, Issues and Agendas:
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 2-5
Size of written product Max. 10 pages
The synopsis can be written individually or in groups of 2-5 students.

5 students: max. 10 pages
4 students: max. 8 pages
3 students: max. 6 pages
2 students: max. 4 pages
1 student: max. 2 pages
Assignment type Synopsis
Release of assignment An assigned subject is released in class
Duration
Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
30 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
Re-take due to illness: A student, who has attended the work of a previous handed in assignment, but is ill at the ordinary oral exam, will attend the re-take with the ordinary assignment (the assignment must be handed in again by the date of the hand in is set by the Study Secretariat). A student, who has not participated in the work of a previous handed in assignment, must hand in a new assignment before the oral exam. The date of the hand in is set by the Study Secretariat.

If the student did not pass the ordinary exam, he/she must make a new assignment and hand it in on a new deadline, specified by the secretariat, before the re-take.
Description of the exam procedure

The synopsis can be written individually or in groups of 2-5 students. 
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

This course examines business as a societal actor by focusing on how contemporary public issues emerge, evolve, and become contested in society. Rather than starting from the perspective of corporations and how they manage stakeholders, the course adopts a broader societal perspective, asking how different actors—such as governments, NGOs, citizens, media, and international institutions—engage with, challenge, and seek to shape the role and power of business in society. 

 

The course is organized around public issues understood as conflicts between actors with competing interpretations, interests, and agendas. These issues unfold in “issue fields” where multiple societal actors struggle to define what is at stake, who is responsible, and what constitutes legitimate solutions. Examples may include controversies related to climate transition, digital platforms, labor rights, or business involvement in political and social debates. 

 

Students will learn to analyze how such issues are constructed and contested in specific economic, political, and cultural contexts. The focus is on mapping the constellation of actors involved, their positions and agendas, the tensions between them, and the broader conditions that shape their capacity to influence outcomes. Particular attention is given to processes such as globalization, the shifting role of the state, and the increasing politicization of business activity. 

Across the course, we explore how business becomes entangled in societal and political struggles—not only as an economic actor, but as a participant in debates about rights, governance, legitimacy, and the organization of society. The aim is to develop a critical and analytically grounded understanding of how public issues involving business are formed, contested, and potentially transformed.
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
  • Models
Research-like activities
  • Discussion, critical reflection, modelling
  • Students conduct independent research-like activities under supervision
Description of the teaching methods
In addition to lectures introducing key theoretical perspectives, the course includes case work and workshops focused on the analysis of contemporary public issues. These activities examine how issues unfold in a globalized and highly mediated context and become contested among multiple societal actors.
 
During the last month of the semester, groups work with self-selected cases to be developed for their exams, which are presented and discussed in class. A synopsis describing the case, suggesting a theoretically informed analysis of it and suggesting feasible strategic alternatives, will constitute the starting point of an individual oral exam.
Feedback during the teaching period
As class size is generally relatively small, classes are highly interactive and discussion based. Further, students submit a written pitch for their exam case, for which written feedback is provided. Finally, at the end of semester, students present their exam cases in two sessions and receive feedback from the teacher as well as from fellow students.
Student workload
Lectures 54 hours
Workshop 6 hours
Preparation/Exam 352 hours
Total 412 hours
Expected literature

A digital compendium of journal articles is provided
Last updated on 15-06-2026