All programmes > Political Business Strategy

Political Business Strategy (B-KUL-D0R23A)

6 ECTSEnglish39 First termCannot be taken as part of an examination contract
Crombez Christophe
OC Toegepaste economische wetenschappen FEB Campus Leuven

Aims

Upon completion of this course, the student is able to:

  • Systematically analyze a firm’s political- and nonmarket environment.
  • Develop strategies to deal with the challenges that arise in the political- and in the nonmarket environment.
  • Evaluate whether government policy is economically sound.
  • Develop a critical attitude and an ability to formulate research questions and conduct research independently.
  • Demonstrate team work and presentation skills.

Previous knowledge

Students are supposed to have prior knowledge of microeconomics and business economics.

Is included in these courses of study

Activities

6 ects. Political Business Strategy (B-KUL-D0R23a)

6 ECTSEnglishFormat: Lecture39 First term
Crombez Christophe
OC Toegepaste economische wetenschappen FEB Campus Leuven

Content

I. Introduction
 
II. Political Analysis
This section studies political decision making. It studies the Condorcet paradox, agenda setting, strategic voting, Arrow’ impossibility theorem, spatial theory, the median voter theorem and electoral systems. It focuses on EU institutions and the legislative process in the European Union. Throughout this section the focus is on the importance of these issues for management.
 
III. Political Strategy 
This section studies firms’ nonmarket strategies. It discusses the four I’s of the nonmarket environment: issues, interests, institutions and information. Based on this analysis it develops a framework for the formulation of nonmarket strategies. Amongst others, it uses the following tools: nonmarket issue agendas, distributive politics spreadsheets, and Wilson’s matrix of political competition. The framework is applied to a number of case studies.
 
IV. Political Strategy and Economic Efficiency
This section analyzes political decision making and regulation in a number of specific areas and industries. It pays attention to political as well as economic aspects of regulation and legislation. First, it studies a number of specific industries, such as the airline and telecommunications industries. Next, it discusses antitrust problems and two special topics of regulation: product safety and environmental protection.

Course material

 Required reading:

  • Crombez: Political Business Strategy
  • Additional course materials, including the course notes and readings, will be made available at the Ekonomika Kursusdienst.
  • Additional course material is distributed via Toledo.
  • Recommended reading: Baron, David P., Business and Its Environment. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.

Toledo:

Toledo is being used for this learning activitity.

Format: more information

The teaching philosophy for this course is partly based on lectures and partly based on active discussion in class. For this purpose, students need to read case studies and other materials prior to class.

Evaluation

Evaluation: Political Business Strategy (B-KUL-D2R23a)

Type : Continuous assessment without exam during the examination period
Description of evaluation : Paper/Project, Presentation, Participation during contact hours, Skills test
Type of questions : Multiple choice
Learning material : None

Explanation


Features of the evaluation

* The evaluation for this course consists of:

  • ­A written paper/project and oral presentation. This need to be done in groups and all group member need to do an equal part of the presentation.
  • ­An in-class multiple choice test
  • Class participation and preparation: Students need to read case studies and other material prior to class. These materials will then be discussed during the classes.

*Deadlines will be determined by the lecturer and communicated via Toledo.

Determination of grades

*The grades are determined by the lecturer. The result is computed and expressed as a whole number on a scale of 20.
*The final grade is a weighted score and consists of:

  • ­Paper/project: 30% of the final grade
  • ­Project presentation: 30% of the final grade
  • In-class multiple choice test: 30% of the final grade
  • Class participation and preparation: 10% of the final grade

* If the student does not participate in the paper/project, the final grade for the course will be NA (not taken). If the student does not participate in one (or more) of the other partial evaluations, the grades for these partial evaluations will be 0-grades in the calculations of the final grade for the course.

*If one of the set deadlines is not respected, the grade for that respective part will be a 0-grade in the final grade, unless the student asked the lecturer to arrange a new deadline prior to the expiration of the original deadline. This request needs to be motivated by grave circumstances.

 

Information about retaking exams

Second exam opportunity

*At the second exam opportunity, the final grade is a weighted score and consists of:

  • ­Individual paper/project: 30% of the final grade
  • ­Individual project presentation: 30% of the final grade
  • Multiple choice test: 30% of the final grade
  • Class participation and preparation: 10% of the final grade

*Due to the nature of the class participation and preparation, students cannot retake this part of the evaluation. The results obtained at the first exam opportunity will therefore be transferred to the second exam opportunity.