Beyond Grey Pinstripes

     

Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB)

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Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB) P.O Box 5003
Ås, , 1432
Norway
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Demographic Information

Number of full-time MBA students (2011): 

75

Number of part-time MBA students (2011): 

15

Total duration of full-time MBA program: 

20 months

MBA faculty (Fall 2010): 

45

Females as percent of student body: 

55%


Description of MBA Program: 

The UMB School of Economics and Business is part of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB). Hence, being an integrated part of a university with a 150 years distingushed history in the natural sciences and technology (as well as economics and business) we are no "stand-alone" school. While providing all relevant courses for bachelor as well as masters degrees in business economics and administration, the UMB Business School takes advantage of being part of a larger natural science and technology environment. Students are offered, and do follow, courses on environmental issues within the School as well as courses outside economics and business offered by other schools/departments at UMB, in particular courses within environmentals sciences, development studies, renewable energy, as well as biology and landscape management.


Environmental problems and challenges are central throughout our study programs, as are ethical issues. A majority of our masters students are recruited from our bachelor program in economics and business, in which philosophy (10 ECTS) is mandatory.


In our masters program in economics and business, there is a large selection of courses particularly focusing on ethics and environmental issues. However, the main strategy of the UMB Business School is that of integrating ethics, social responsibility and environmental issues in standard business and economics courses.


Due to the fact that Norway is a large energy producer (oil and electric power), our master program offers a major in energy and resource economics. However, we also take an international perspective and offer majors in development economics, resource and environmental economics and business, all with emphasis on ethical issues together with standard economic and business challenges.


In short: Our aim is to have graduates who are fully competent in economics and business while at the same time carrying competence beyond the traditional.



How does the MBA program 'walk the talk' of social and environmental impact?: 

The School is part of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, holding an ISO 9000 certificate for environmental standards on campus. The certificate was renewed for the second five year period 2010.


UMB is spending a substantial part of its budget on the upkeep of its old buildings (among which several are on the Governments conservation list). While not destroying the historic architecture and antique datails, energy saving investments are continuously being introduced. UMB is in the process of converting to full scale bio fuel heating of the campus buildings.


Being a university with long standing activities in developing countries, a substantial number of African and Asian students are receiving grants and scholarships for masters and PhD degrees at the School.


UMB has a permanent committee called "The etchics committee", handling all issues related to alleged or observed ethical misconduct. The committee is likewise consulted related to ethical issues in general, in order to avoid misconduct etc. The committee has its center at the UMB Business School faculty, as the School is responsible for the teaching of philosophy and ethics for all students at the university. Thus, philosophy and ethics constitute a strong section within the UMB Business School.

Academic Department

Course Name: Bioscience, Ethics and Environmental Philosophy
Instructor: Assoc. Professor Terje Kvilhaug, Professor Frode Kjosavik

Objective of course

The aim of the course is to train the student to analyse and reflect critically on issues concerning animal and environmental ethics, and to put these into a wider scientific and philosophical context.

Course contents

Connection between view of man and view of nature. Future generations. Moral status for other life forms than humans. To what extent are humans entitled to exploit other organisms? Experiments with animals will be discussed on the basis of welfare and rights. Understanding of technology, including biotechnology, i.e., genetic modification. Views of nature with anthropocentrism and biocentrism as two extremes. Ethical relevant distinction between man-made and natural environments? Which parts of nature do we wish to preserve/conserve, and what is the justification for this? Cost-benefit analysis and environmental goods. Social justice and the ecologically good society (ecotopia)? Climate research and the politics of science. In what sense can we speak of equilibrium in nature? Is there a difference between man-made and natural disturbance? Do disturbances increase or decrease biodiversity? Is there a connection between complexity and stability in ecosystems? What are the implications of chaos theory for conservation biology?

Syllabus

Compendium.

Course Name: Agricultural policy
Instructor: Prof. em Normann Aanesland

Objective of course

The purpose of the course is to give a broad introduction to policies concerning agriculture and forestry. The course is mainly based on welfare theory and micro theory.

The connection between agriculture and forestry and the general development of society. The development of Norwegian forestry and agriculture policies. The system for political administration of agriculture and forestry. The use of resources and production adaptation: Goals and means for achieving the goals. The influence of agriculture and forestry on the environment. Municipal management of agriculture and forestry. The agriculture and forestry policies in the EU. New policies on agriculture and forestry.

The topics may vary somewhat from one year to the next.

Course contents

The course is built up of several topics: Historical development, theory parts, relevant problems concerning agriculture and forestry policies, e.g.: Goals for agriculture and forestry policies, means and institutions. The effects of the EEC, EU and WTO on Norwegian agriculture and forestry.

Syllabus

Aanesland, Normann (1987): Landbrukspolitikk. Produksjonstilpassing for å nå ulike jordbrukspolitiske mål. Aanesland, N. and H. Blytt (1993): Internasjonal handel med mat, Landbruksforlaget. Aanesland, N. and H. Mjelde, (1997): Fra politikk til entreprenørskap, Landbruksforlaget. Aanesland, N. and I. L. Labugt (2000): Bygdeutvikling til nytte for hvem, Landbruksforlaget. An overview of the course readings will be handed out at the first lecture.

Course Name: Agricultural Policy and Resource Management
Instructor: Prof. em. Normann Aanesland

Objective of course

Lectures, topic seminars and semester project shall give a deeper insight into theories and problems of current interest in agricultural policies. Emphasis is placed on teaching the students to use economic theories and theories from the social sciences to analyse topics of current interest in agricultural politics and resource management.

Course contents

The management system for agricultural policies, environment management and resource management in Norway, resource allocation - Norwegian agriculture in a global context, income transfer (OECD calculations etc.), international trade and agreements (GATT), WTO.

Forestry policies, welfare theory, public choice theory, institutional economics and entrepreneur theory, (Asymmetric information, transaction costs, rent seeking and principal agent theory).

Free market economy, market types and economic rent - Coase theorem - the tragedy of the common lands - external effects, market failures/management failures. The system for agricultural policies. Systems for resource management: predators, moose, small game. The right of access. Land management at municipal level and county level. The market for farm real estate. The individual topics may vary somewhat from one year to the next.

Syllabus

Stevens, Joe B., 1993. The Economics of Collective Choice, Westview Press, Boulder, San Francisco, Oxford. North, Douglas C. (1993): Institutionerna Tillväxt och välståndet, SNS Förlaget, Stockholm. Tullock, G (1976): Den pollitiske marknaden, RATIO. Schumpeter, J. (Urval ur Richard Swedberg, 1994): Om den skapande förstörelse och entreprenørskap.

Course Name: Climate and environmental economics
Instructor: Associate Professor Eirik Romstad, Professor Arild Angelsen, Associate Professor Olvar Bergland, Professor Stale Navrud

Objective of course

The course will give the students a theoretical overview, using environmental economics and game theory, and learn them to apply this to current international negotiations and national policy discussions. The aim is to show how economic tools yield insights into the current debate, and can also be used to assess different options being discussed. While the combination of theoretical overview and application is focussed on the climate issues, the integrative part of the course will also be useful to many other environmental issues.

Course contents

The course consists of two main parts:

i) GLOBAL CLIMATE REGIME AND NEGOTIATIONS

Here we will provide the background to understand the global climate negotiations, and also to assess the different options currently being discussed in the UNFCCC process , leading up to the main climate meeting (COP15) in Copenhagen in December 2009. Topics include:

- the science of climate change, how to value the future and deal with risk?

- main principles for a global climate regime: tradable emission quotas or a global carbon tax?

- what is a fair distribution of quotas (distribution of costs and benefits) between countries?

- how much should rich countries pay for emissions reduction in developing countries, and how much should developing countries bring to an agreement?

- What is the climate game? What happening at the negotiation table and in the corridors?

- what is Norway's role?

- how to assess the economic costs of climate change

ii) NATIONAL POLICIES AND IMPLEMENTATION

- what policies are available for implementing climate targets in

Norway?

- can technological development solve the problem?

- what co-benefits can greenhouse gas emission reductions produce?

- policies for implementing Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) in developing countries

Syllabus

Selected journal articles

Course Name: Development and Environment Economics
Instructor: Prof Stein T. Holden

Objective of course

To give the students deeper insights in economic theory and methodology and how to use these for the analysis of development and environment policy issues in developing countries.

- Advancement of theoretical and methodological skills.

- Combine theory and methodology to do applied policy analysis.

- Policy analysis for poverty reduction, food security and natural resource management.

Course contents

Quantitative Development Policy Analysis.

Economics of rural organisation.

Natural resource economics, poverty and development.

Syllabus

A detailed reading list is handed out at the start of the course.

Course Name: Economic development and entrepreneurship
Instructor: Professor Anders Lunnan, Assoc. Professor Eystein Ystad

Objective of course

Through the study of theory, literature and assignments, insight is given into current problems connected with economic development, entrepreneurship and innovation in Norway today. The students should: - Become familiar with the main challenges within rural development and differences between economic and rural development. - Become familiar with theories and how they can be used in practical analysis within entrepreneurship and innovation. - Become familiar with scientific journals and current research within the subject.

Course contents

1. Entrepreneurship, concepts, learning, theory, research, start-ups, process, business plan

2. Selected topics within entrepreneurship: Finance, growth, social entrepreneurship, global entrepreneurship

3. Economic development and policy, entrepreneurship policy

4. Localisation, regional economics

5. Rural entrepreneurship, niche strategies

6. Entrepreneurship and innovation

7. Innovation strategies

8. Innovation leadership, implementation

9. Business visits to confront theory with practice

10. Seminar/discussion of articles

11. Assignments

Syllabus

1. David Deakins and Mark Freel: Entrepreneurship and Small Firms, 4th edition McGraw Hill Companies, 289 pages. The entire book is part of the curriculum. OR: Jeffry A Timmons and Stephen Spinelli: New Venture Creation.

2. Melissa A. Schilling: Strategic Management of Technological Innovation, 2/e. McGraw Hill Companies.

Information about additional literature can be found on the course web site.

Course Name: Energy economics
Instructor: Prof Torstein Bye

Objective of course

To give the students an understanding of central economic problems and insight into theory and analysis methods in connection with trade and production, sale and taxation of various forms of energy in a decentralised and relatively open economy.

Course contents

1) Introductory lecture with an overview over energy markets. 2) Water employment in a hydro-based power system - from simple systems to complicated systems - with main emphasis on theory and the setting of prices through various types of counters in the system. 3) From free competition to market power in energy markets. 4) Taxation of energy markets with focus on problems concerning the basic rent and environmental problems. 5) Green mechanisms in the energy markets. 6) Special problems in connection with gas and gas transport. 7) Special problems in connection with oil markets.

Syllabus

The syllabus will be handed out at the first lecture.

Course Name: Energy Markets and Regulation
Instructor: Assoc.prof. Olvar Bergland

Objective of course

The students shall acquire knowledge about and experience with the use of economic analysis tools as applied to economic and political issues in the energy sector.

Course contents

The course covers central issues concerning energy markets and economic regulation in the energy sector. Specific topics include: 1) regulation of network providers through dynamic yardstick competition, 2) measuring efficiency with DEA (data envelopment analysis) and SFA (stochastic frontier analysis), 3) organization of energy markets, 4) modeling of energy markets, 5) stochastic production planning in hydropower systems, 6) investments under uncertainty.

Syllabus

Selected parts of Førsund (2007): 'Hydropower Economics', Coelli (2005) 'An Introduction to Efficiency and Productivity Anlaysis'. The reading list will be handed out at the first lecture.

Course Name: Environmental Accounting and Management
Instructor: Prof Staale Navrud

Objective of course

The students should be able to explain system-based management methods and practical tools for developing environmental strategies and environmental accounting systems for private and public enterprises, and be able to evaluate existing environmental accounting and management systems.

Course contents

The course consists of three main parts:

i) Environmental accounting:

The course begins with a model of the environmental requirements that private and public enterprises are faced with and the alternative strategies that they may follow in order to fulfil these requirements from various stakeholders. Basic concepts such as sustainable development, ecological efficiency, eco-efficiency are reviewed, as well as the three bottom lines: economics, environment and corporate social responsibility, CSR. Social responsibility implies that existing and new enterprises take into consideration the rights and needs of the local population and that employees work under safe conditions with regards to health, environment and security. Then various methods for environmental accounting, life cycle assessment (LCA), environmental product declarations as well as systems for environmental labelling and certification are described, criticised and exemplified.

ii) Environmental management:

Environmental management for sustainable development of public and private enterprises is a dynamic and complex organisational challenge which requires adaptation and a willingness to think in new ways. Therefore, management methods for working with environmental cases must be sensitive to the social as well as to the technical consequences that this has for the organisation. Systems thinking is an analytic framework for understanding complex organisational structures as systems. In this way, the course gives an introduction to the method for thinking in systems, and shows how this can be applied to an organisation using the Balance Score Card (BSC) method.

iii) Sustainable development for private and public enterprises:

The course seeks to show how knowledge of environmental accounting, systems thinking, the Balanced Score Card (BSC) method and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can be used as management tools for environmentally friendly and sustainable public and private enterprises.

Syllabus

- Schaltegger, S. and R. Burritt 2000: Contemporary Environmental Accounting. Issues, Concepts and Practice. Greenleaf Publishing, Sheffield, UK. - Selected journal articles and book chapters, which are available at the course web site.

Course Name: Environmental Economics
Instructor: Assoc. Professor Eirik Romstad

Objective of course

Students shall acquire an understanding of how to create more environmentally friendly behavior among individuals and firms. The main focus is on the use of various policy instruments in environmental policy formulation. The course offers knowledge about the causes behind environmental problems and the various interactions between ecological processes and economic activity. Concerning economic behavior, the students will be educated in game theory and institutional behavioral theory. Within game theory (principal-agent models) the concept of resource allocation mechanisms and uncertainty will be emphasized. In the institutional part cooperative behavior, preference changes, and the importance of transaction costs and rights are core issues. The students shall learn to evaluate under which conditions the various theories are relevant. They shall, moreover. acquire knowledge about the effect of different policy instruments - economic, legal and informational - under different conditions.

Course contents

The course contains three elements. A) Advanced theory concerning systems analysis, resource allocation mechanisms, risk, control, information handling, behavioural assumptions, preference changes, transaction costs, rights, effects of different policy instruments with relation to various types of environmental problems and different behavioural assumptions. B) Studying concrete environmental economic problems - application of the theories. C) Case studies, where students in groups will discuss suitable policy instruments for the environmental issue in focus.

Syllabus

Compendium with selected articles. There is no suitable text book in this course, but new books are constantly reviewed.

Pages

Type of Offering

We have a number of guest lecturers and speakers from industry/business as well as politics in our courses on a regular as well as "ad hoc" basis. Many of these guest lecturers and speakers raise environmental and ethical issues.

Such activites are organized by the faculty at the UMB Business School. However, in many cases the students' own organisations organize such events. Also, being part of a larger university at which the environmental sciences are important, our master students regularly attend seminars, workshops etc organized by other schools/departments.

It is not possible to isolate events that are for the MBA students only, as the university policy is that of inviting and engaging students across subjects and fields.

The Causation in Science Center
Business School Housing? Yes
Number of Faculty: 4
Contact Name: Rani Anjum
Contact Email: rani.anjum@umb.no

The Causation in Science Center organizes the philosophy and ethics faculty at the UMB Business School. While not set up solely for ethics teaching and research, the center forms a focal point for the School's activities related to these issues.

Optimum

Optimum is the joint organization for the School's economics and business students. The organization is not set up for organizing sosial as well as academic affairs, including debate meetings on ethics, envirnomental issues, global warming etc.

http://www.umb.no/optimum/artikkel/optimum-okonomistudentenes-linjeforening

UKEHJELPEN

This is student organization for the entire University, set up for charity activities.

SAIH

Our students are members of the SAIH, i.e. the Norwegian Students' International Aid Fund. Part of the students' annual fees are sent automatically to SAIH. See www.saih.no

Investeringer i produksjon av fornybar energi: Hvilket avkastningskrav bør legges til grunn?
Author(s): Gjølberg, Ole

The article discusses theoretical, methodological and empirical issues related to the establishing of a correct cost-of-capital for investments in renewable energy. A nominal after tax rate of return is estimated at 7.7 per cent. The required rate of return is quite stable across different classes of risk. Assuming a long term inflation rate of 2.5 per cent, the (before tax) required return in real terms is roughly 8 per cent. This is 2 percentage points above the required return applied and recommended by the Norwegian Ministry of Finance. The difference is due to the Ministry’s unrealistically low risk premium and low short term risk free rate.

Journal Title: Praktisk økonomi og finans Volume: 25 Edition: 2 Page Numbers: 75-95
Locally Produced Food in Restaurants: Are Customers Willing to Pay a Premium and Why?
Author(s): Alfnes, Frode

Restaurant owners are always looking for new ways to increase profits. In this paper, we investigate the attitudes and perceptions of restaurant customers to locally produced food and their willingness to pay a premium. This study employs a field experiment conducted in a restaurant located on a Midwest US university campus. When ordinary customers entered the restaurant, we gave them the choice of two set menus that we had systematically varied with respect to price and origin. Then, while waiting for their order, we asked them to complete a short questionnaire about attitudes and perceptions. We find that a price signal must support local food labelling to obtain an increased interest from customers. When local food was marginally more expensive than other food, more customers chose local food than if it was sold at the same price.

Journal Title: International Journal of Revenue Management Volume: 4 Edition: No 3-4 Page Numbers: 238 - 258
Poverty reduction with irrigation investment: An empirical case study from Tigray, Ethiopia
Author(s): Holden, Stein T.

The regional government of Tigray has invested millions of dollars to develop irrigation schemes as a strategy of poverty reduction. However, there has been limited attempt to analyze whether these investments have attained their stated objectives of poverty reduction and overall socio-economic enhancement. Therefore, we endeavor to: (1) evaluate the impacts of access to small-scale irrigation on farm household's income and poverty status, (2) contribute to the scant literature on irrigation and poverty reduction in Ethiopia, and (3) provide information for policy makers. We examine a representative sample of 613 farm households (331 irrigators and 282 non-irrigators) drawn using three-stage stratified sampling with Probability Proportional to Size. We find that the average income of non-irrigating households is less than that of the irrigating households by about 50%. The overall average income gain due to access to irrigation ranges from 4000 Birr to 4500 Birr per household per annum. We find also that farming income is more important to irrigating households than to non-irrigating households, and off-farm income is negatively related with access to irrigation.

Journal Title: Agricultural Water Management Volume: 96 Edition: 12 Page Numbers: 1837 - 1843