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2026/2027  MA-MMBDV2605U  People, Performance and Strategic Renewal

English Title
People, Performance and Strategic Renewal

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 5 ECTS
Type Elective
Level Part Time Master
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Autumn, Spring
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Min. participants 10
Max. participants 30
Study board
Study Board for Master i forretningsudvikling
Programme Master of Business Development
Course coordinator
  • Dana Minbaeva - Department of Strategy and Innovation (SI)
Main academic disciplines
  • Human resource management
Teaching methods
  • Face-to-face teaching
Last updated on 18-06-2026

Relevant links
Learning objectives
  • Identify and explain a people-related strategic challenge in your own organisation or chosen empirical context
  • Apply relevant theories and frameworks from the course to analyse the alignment between business strategy and people-related decisions in that context
  • Design evidence-based people and organisational initiatives that support sustainable performance and enable strategic renewal
Examination
People, Performance and Strategic Renewal:
Exam ECTS 5
Examination form Home assignment - written product
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Please see text below
Written product in the form of a presentation
(maximum 20 slides) and a recorded oral
presentation (video pitch, max 20 min).
Assignment type Written assignment
Release of assignment An assigned subject is released in class
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 and Summer
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

Organisations increasingly compete through their ability to mobilise talent, develop organisational capabilities, and continuously renew themselves in response to technological disruption, shifting labour markets, and the broader transformation of work. This course examines how people-related decisions shape organisational performance and long-term strategic renewal. Participants learn how to translate strategy into concrete people actions: attracting, developing, and deploying talent; designing performance-enabling team structures;
and building learning mechanisms that support upskilling and reskilling in dynamic environments.


Through a combination of analytical frameworks, case discussions, and applied exercises, the course develops participants’ ability to diagnose people-related strategic challenges and translate them into actionable organisational initiatives. Particular attention is given to the role of data and evidence in people decision-making, including the use of workforce analytics to diagnose performance drivers. The course also examines engagement and wellbeing as critical elements of the organisational infrastructure that enables sustainable performance.

 

Your benefits

  • Diagnose how people-related decisions influence organisational performance and strategic renewal.
  • Translate strategic priorities into concrete people and capability initiatives.
  • Design organisational conditions that enable high-performing teams.
  • Evaluate workforce development and reskilling strategies in dynamic business environments.
  • Analyse how talent development supports long-term competitiveness.
  • Formulate actionable people strategies that support business growth and renewal.
  • Apply course frameworks to real organisational challenges in own professional context.

 

Themes

  • People as a strategic resource: how talent and capabilities contribute to competitive advantage
  • Aligning people strategy with business growth and organisational priorities
  • Identifying pivotal roles and designing effective talent strategies
  • Reskilling, upskilling, and skills-based workforce planning in dynamic environments
  • New ways of organising work: remote, project-based, and platform-enabled work models
  • Designing high-performing teams and enabling collaboration in diverse work settings
  • Engagement, wellbeing, and organisational conditions that support sustained performance
  • Using workforce analytics to diagnose performance drivers and support evidence-based people decisions
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
Research-like activities
  • Analysis
  • Discussion, critical reflection, modelling
Description of the teaching methods
The course combines case discussions, guest lectures, group exercises, and applied project work.
Each day builds on the previous one, gradually moving from conceptual understanding to practical application.
• Day 1 introduces the strategic role of people decisions in organisational performance.
• Day 2 focuses on capability development and workforce reskilling in dynamic environments.
• Day 3 explores organisational design and work arrangements that enable effective collaboration.
• Day 4 integrates the course frameworks through team performance and workforce analytics, preparing participants to apply the concepts to their final strategic project.
Participants work in groups throughout the course to analyse a real organisational challenge and develop a People–Performance–Strategic Renewal Plan.
The course is taught using a case-based teaching approach and participant-centred learning methodology inspired by the Harvard Business School case method. Sessions involve high-energy discussion, debate, and interaction among participants. Participants are expected to come to class well prepared, having read the assigned cases. Participants are encouraged to bring their own perspectives and professional experiences into the discussion and to actively engage with the views of others. Because real organisational challenges rarely have a single correct solution, case discussions emphasise analytical reasoning, critical reflection, and the ability to articulate and defend different positions.
Feedback during the teaching period
Feedback is possible
Student workload
Teaching 28 hours
Preparation and exam 109,5 hours
Last updated on 18-06-2026