ØKB3129 Sustainable Business in Scandinavia

Contents and structure

To understand how business is done in the Nordic countries, one must understand the institutions in which the practices and strategies of Nordic companies are embeddedd. These institutions place serious restrictions on the behaviour of Nordic companies, and strongly affect the feasibility and attractiveness of different strategies. As firms from different countries clash in an increasingly fierce global marketplace, understanding the link between domestic institituions and competitive advantage becomes an increasingly important issue.

The overall goal of the course is to provide students with a basic understanding of the political, economic, social, and cultural characteristics of the Nordic countries, and how these characteristics shape the behaviour and performance of Nordic companies. The course clarifies the institutional characterstics of the Nordic countries, how these have evolved over time, and examines the degree to which they converge and diverge from the institutions of other countries. How sustainability is understood and practiced in the Nordic context is also explored.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge

The student:

• Understands how domestic institutions differ between countries across the world and how these differences affect a nation’s comparative advantage
• Is able to recognize the institutional charactersitics of the Nordic countries and how these constrain and shape the business practices and strategies of Nordic firms
• Understands how the Nordic model affects the response of Nordic businesses to sustainability challenges

Skills

The student:

• Is able to analyze domestic institutions and explain how they affect the behaviour and strategies of firms
• Is able to analyze, and critically discuss, the subleties of Nordic institutions and how they affect the behaviour and performance of Nordic firms
• Is able to offer suggestions to Nordic practicioners and policymakers on how Nordic businesses and public organisations can contribute to address sustainability challenges
• Is able to analyze and critically discuss the institutions of different countries and how these shape a country's challenges and its response to these

Entry requirements

None

Recommended previous knowledge

None

Teaching methods

Lectures with discussions and group activities.

Compulsory learning activities

1) Participation in the teaching sessions is mandatory.

• For each of the sessions a student is not physically present, the student must deliver a written summary (no less than 1500 words) about the topic of the session.

2) Oral group presentation of the draft of the semester assignment (25-30 min).

Assessment

Semester assignment 100%. Grading scale: A - F. Language: English. Group size: 2-3 students.

Examination support material

All written aids allowed.

More about examination support material