Business in World Politics (L2085)
Source: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/modules/undergraduate/2026/99911-business-in-world-politics Parent: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/business-analytics-bsc-hons
15 credits, Level 5
Autumn teaching
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?\ \ On this module, you'll look at these questions from the perspectives of both international relations and management studies. You'll 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'll work with case studies from various sectors, including big tech, energy, food and pharmaceuticals. You'll also learn how theories on non-market strategy, global governance and power can help us analyse the role of companies in world politics.
Teaching
100%: Practical (Practical, Workshop)\
Assessment
30%: Coursework (Test)\ 70%: Written assessment (Essay)\
Contact hours and workload
This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 23 hours of contact time and about 127 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.
We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2026/27. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.
We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.