International relations

Business in World Politics

Module code: L2085
Level 5
15 credits in autumn semester
Teaching method: Workshop, Practical
Assessment modes: Coursework, Essay

Are companies political actors? If so, how do they shape world politics? And what should be their role in shaping how political rules are made and societies are governed?

In this module, you will look at these questions from the perspectives of both International Relations and Management Studies. You will explore:

• why companies engage in politics
• how they exert political influence, including as lobbyists, partners in governance and agents of implementation
• what some of the implications are for governance and democracy.

You will work with case studies from various sectors, including big tech, energy, food and pharmaceuticals. And you will learn how theories on non-market strategy, global governance and power can help us analyse the role of companies in world politics.

Module learning outcomes

• Demonstrate empirical and theoretical knowledge and understanding of how markets and politics interact.
• Define key concepts that have been used in International Relations and Business Studies to examine the role(s) of business in world politics, including ‘corporate social responsibility’, ‘global governance’, ‘non-market strategy’, and ‘structural power’, for example.
• Apply their knowledge and understanding of these concepts to critically analyse real-world cases of business-politics interaction.
• Identify practical dilemmas that emerge for both managers and policymakers in the era of global markets and global politics.