PhD Courses in Denmark

Faculty
Professor Christian Geisler Asmussen (CGA)
Department of Strategy and Innovation, CBS

Si (Coco) Cheng (SC)
Department of Strategy and Innovation, CBS

Professor Dana Minbaeva (DM)
King’s College London and Copenhagen Business School

Professor Michael Mol (MM) 
Department of Strategy and Innovation, CBS

Marcus Møller Larsen (MML)
Department of Strategy and Innovation, CBS

Professor Torben Pedersen (TP)
Department of Strategy and Innovation, CBS

Professor Larissa Rabbiosi (LR)
Department of Strategy and Innovation, CBS

Professor Grazia Santangelo (GS)
Department of Strategy and Innovation, CBS

Professor Wolfgang Sofka (WS)
Department of Strategy and Innovation, CBS

Flladina Zilja (FZ)
Department of International Economics, Government and Business, CBS

Prerequisites
The course is designed for students with different backgrounds who have an interest in business and its applications to other fields and topics. Although a basic knowledge of management, strategy, and economics is helpful, no specific prerequisites are required. Students are expected to attend the entire course and take the final exam.

The course is offered in collaboration with EIASM. Upon registration you need to send the following documents in one file to the organizer ni.research@cbs.dk by the deadline of March 1, 2025:

• curriculum vitae demonstrating your capabilities of doing research;
• a letter of recommendation of your local faculty supporting the application;
• a one-page description of your doctoral research, indicating the general objectives.

The selection among the applicants will be conducted by Course Coordinator and Faculty. 

Aim
The course aims to offer a systematic foundational knowledge of the theoretical building blocks of international business research, the most updated debates on theories, and an overview of topics and areas of research in the field. The ultimate goal is to develop an ability to identify opportunities for future research. The course is organized into two parts. The first part focuses on different theoretical perspectives. The second part discusses state‐of‐the‐art research on specific topics and areas.

Course content
This is a discussion‐based course. Students are expected to attend and be prepared for every session. Session preparation includes reading all required assigned material for the session. During each session, the discussion will be based on the papers for discussion.

Teaching style
Lectures and workshops where students are expected to present and discuss pre‐assigned readings.

Lecture plan
S1 - 28/04/2024 - Faculty: GS 
Why and how companies became multinationals       

S2* - 28/04/2024 - Faculty: CGA            
Internalization theory

S3 - 29/04/2024 - Faculty: MMP            
Behavioral perspectives on international business

S4* - 29/04/2024 - Faculty: MM 
Stakeholder theory in the global context

S5 - 30/04/2024 - Faculty:FZ – GS – SC         
Proposal Development Workshop

S6* - 30/04/2024 - Faculty: TP                   
Backlash against globalization and mitigation strategies

S7 - 01/05/2024 - Faculty: LR
Knowledge transfer across borders

S8* - 01/05/2024 - Faculty: WS
International business and knowledge protection

S9 - 02/05/2024 - Faculty: DM        
International human resource management

S10* - 02/05/2024 - Faculty: GS        
MNEs and Grand challenges

* These sessions will be scheduled in the afternoon

Tentative schedule
Morning sessions: 9:00-12:00
Afternoon sessions: 13:30-16:30

Learning objectives
To demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of theories and topics relevant to international business literature.

• To demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of key concepts, assumptions, causal relationships and processes relevant to international business literature.
• To critically review assigned readings.
• To develop new ideas and approaches that advance some portions of theory and research.

Exam
At the end of the course, each student is requested to hand in a 3‐5‐page proposal that will be assessed on a pass/no‐pass basis. The proposal is expected to identify a research question, theoretical framing, and preliminary hypotheses.

Course Literature
A preliminary list of readings per session is reported below. A final syllabus will be circulated to registered students before the start of the course.

Dunning, J.H., 2000. The eclectic paradigm as an envelope for economic and business theories of MNE activity. International Business Review, 9(2): 163‐190. 

Hennart, J.‐F. (2000). Transaction costs theory and the multinational enterprise. In C. Pitelis & R. Sugden (Eds), The Nature of the Transnational, (2nd ed.) 72–118. London: Routledge

Surroca, J., Tribó, J. A., & Zahra, S. A. 2013. Stakeholder pressure on MNEs and the transfer of socially irresponsible practices to subsidiaries. Academy of Management Journal, 56: 549–572.

Powell, T. C., Lovallo, D., & Fox, C. R. (2011). Behavioral strategy. Strategic Management Journal, 32(13), 1369-1386.

Hong, H‐J. and Minbaeva, D. (2022) Multiculturals as Strategic Human Capital Resources in Multinational Enterprises. Journal of International Business Studies, 53: 95‐125.

Fortwengel, J., & Kostova, T. (2023). Three decades of research on practice transfer in multinational firms: Past contributions and future opportunities. Journal of World Business, 58(3), 101430.

Zhao, M. 2006. Conducting R&D in Countries with Weak Intellectual Property Rights Protection. Management Science, 52(8): 1185-1199.

J. Kobrin (2017). Bricks and Mortar in a Borderless World: Globalization, the Backlash, and the Multinational Enterprise. Global Strategy Journal (7): 159‐171.

Fee
DKK 6,500 (EUR 875). This course is offered in collaboration with EIASM. For PhD students who are currently enrolled at an EIASM member institution, there is a reduced fee of DKK 5,025 (EUR 675).