The course is included in the main field of study: Urban Studies at second-cycle 91-120 credits.

There are numerous actors in cities that continuously interact to create value out of scarce resources. The ambition of this course is to identify and understand stakeholder interests and analyse what drives and limits their actions. The course will also provide a deepening of the understanding and application of qualitative methods used in research, as well as for academic writing.

The course introduces and problematizes the limitations and opportunities that may exist when different stakeholders interact to develop and shape cities and societies. Furthermore, the course aims to foster deeper understanding of certain qualitative methods that can be used to analyse the interaction and integration of stakeholders and networks. The course is divided into two modules and each module is organised in themes:

1. Urban Business and Development, 7,5cr
Different stakeholders, such as private, public or non-governmental organisations, play important part in the development of cities and societies. Their different roles, requirements and interests may bring opportunities as well as limitations to creating value. Using different themes, this module will provide different theoretical perspectives to elaborate on the interaction between stakeholders, service production, value creation and service innovation. There are for example different types of contracts that can be used to govern and assess interaction between parties (i.e. contract theory), as well as laws, rules and norms (institutional theory) that set the framework for interaction. The course also aims to provide a broad understanding of how ethics, values, social responsibility and understandings of sustainable development influence and set conditions for urban development.

2. Qualitative methods, 7,5cr
In order to study and potentially be able to influence stakeholder actions, a deeper knowledge of qualitative methods is necessary. Knowledge from the first module is further developed and applied in this second module using different methods. The methods are applied to theoretical concepts such as co-design, mutual learning, city-making and co-production. Thus, this module includes developing knowledge of how to use interviews, ethnographic and anthropological methods as well as text analysis. The content of the module will prepare students to independently be able to perform research and other advanced analytical development work.

Learning outcomes (Module 1)

Following successful completion of the course, students should be able to

1. identify, analyse and critically address stakeholder actions, opportunities to coordinate values and interests in society, as well as different forms of managing interests,
2. independently and critically search and develop knowledge about stakeholder actions, opportunities to values and interests in society and different forms of steering interests.

Learning outcomes (Module 2)
Following successful completion of the course, students should be able to

3. account for and explain the connection between research problem, empirical material, study object, and method for collecting empirics.
4. analyse different types of qualitative empirical material,
5. reflect on strength and weaknesses in different types of qualitative material and research methods
6. develop and argue for methodological choices,
7. apply qualitative methods to research and development (design an empirical study, collect, and analyse data, as well as reflect on credibility and other important aspects of the process),
8. communicate the results of an independent study in writing and oral presentation.

Lectures, seminars, and written assignments.

Module 1

Active participation in seminars and written assignments (3,5cr) (Learning outcome 1) (grading scale UG)

Individual examination (4cr) (Learning outcome 2) (grading scale UA)

Module 2

Active participation in seminars and written assignments (3,5cr) (Learning outcomes 3-5) (grading scale UG)

Individual examination (4cr) (Learning outcomes 3-8 ) (grading scale UA)

Information about final course grade will be available in course documentation provided when the course starts.

Module 1

• Eriksson-Zetterquist, U., Hansson, M., & Nilsson, F. (latest edition). Theories and Perspectives in Business Administration. Studentlitteratur, Lund.

Module 2

• Silverman, D. (latest edition). Doing qualitative research. SAGE, London

Complementary scientific articles will be provided electronically.

Malmö University provides students who participate in, or who have completed a course, with the opportunity to express their opinions and describe their experiences of the course by completing a course evaluation administered by the University. The University will compile and summarise the results of course evaluations. The University will also inform participants of the results and any decisions relating to measures taken in response to the course evaluations. The results will be made available to the students (HF 1:14).

If a course is no longer offered or has undergone major changes, students will be offered two re-take sessions based on the syllabus in force at registration during a period of one year from the date of the implementation of the changes.

If a student is to be allocated special educational support, the examiner has the right to provide them with an adapted test, or to allow the student to complete the examination in a different format. 
This syllabus is a translation from Swedish.