Course Syllabus

 

Semester & Location:	Spring 2025 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:	Elective Course - 3 credits
Major Disciplines:	Economics, Business
Research Mentor:	David Possen, Ph.D., and Amanda Lapadat-Nordström, M.A. (current students please use the Canvas Inbox)
Research Director:	Susana Dietrich - research@dis.dk
Senior Research Manager:	Jeanette Erbo Wern jwe@dis.dk
Academic Support:	research@dis.dk
Time & Place:	See "Course Summary" below

 

Research Project Description

International Business and Global Economics will pursue research on gender differences in investment behavior and outcomes. With its robust social welfare system, comparatively high level of gender equality, and generally progressive attitude towards LGBTQ+ rights, Denmark offers an exceptional setting to explore gender differences in how people save, invest, and otherwise manage their money. We are seeking up to 3 research assistants interested in any of the following: 

•  Does reliance on investment funds, wealth management professionals, or asset rating systems differ by gender? Are these differences more or less pronounced in Denmark, comparatively? How, if at all, do these differences affect investment outcomes? For students interested in these questions, interviews with bankers and wealth managers will be of special importance.  

 

• How do class and social mobility impact investment behavior across genders in Denmark and/or the US? To address this question, students will first need to examine gender differences in educational attainment, financial literacy, and access to financial services in Denmark and the US. This can involve studying data from educational and financial institutions, as well as examining government reports and scholarly articles in order to understand how such social and institutional factors shape gender differences in investment behavior. 

 

• Do personal investment choices differ across genders? Do female-identified people invest in certain industries/companies and avoid others, compared to people with other gender identifications? Are people of certain genders more likely than others to invest in controversial sectors such as spyware, weapons manufacturing, fossil fuel extraction, or the tobacco industry? To examine these questions, students may use qualitative methods—including surveying DIS students and interviewing professionals in the investment industry—or quantitative analyses of published or publicly available data. 

Learning Objectives

The primary objective is for you to experience the world of research and gain skills that will prepare you for any future career you choose to pursue. By the end of the term, you will grasp the complexities of the research project and have made your own contribution to the project. You will have learned to communicate ideas
and findings, both orally and in writing, to colleagues within your particular discipline, as well as peers from other disciplines.

Project-Specific Objectives Include:

Relevant literature search, data analysis including risk calculations, written discussion about the results of the data analysis and a summary report of the findings.

Research Mentors

David Possen earned his M.A. (Social Sciences) and Ph.D. (Social Thought and Philosophy) from the  University of Chicago in 2009. From 2009-2013, David did postdoctoral research at Yale University and the University of Copenhagen; since 2013, he has been an External Lecturer at the University of Copenhagen's Department of Communication. With DIS since 2014.

Amanda Lapadat-Nordström earned her Master's in International Business at Queen's University Canada, in 2010. She has expertise in trade and FDI, in international business development, in SME advising, and in strategic communications. Consultant and Co-Founder, Do Business Nordic, 2020-Present. Commercial Manager Sweden, MG Real Estate, 2020-2022. FDI Advisor, Invest in Skåne, 2017-2020. Trade Advisor, The Trade Council, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Denmark in Canada, 2013-2017. Trade Journalist, Global Business Reports, 2011-2013. Strategic Communications Consultant, Kreab Worldwide London, 2010-2011. Global Programs, Blackberry, 2007-2009. With DIS since 2023.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Research Assistant

You are expected to spend a minimum of 10 hours per week on the project. The workload
may vary over the semester. If you are travelling to do field research in a different
location, additional time may be required.
As research assistant, you will engage in some or all of the following:
1. Participate in weekly meetings with your research mentor at a time set collectively at the beginning of the term.
2. Participate in a research orientation at the beginning of the semester 
3. Participate in two research workshops during the semester.
4. Write an assessment of your own strengths and weaknesses in the research
process at the beginning of the semester. Revisit at the end of the semester as part of an evaluation of your own participation in, and learning from, the research project.
5. Keep a research journal and submit it in person or via email every week (or another specified interval) to your research mentor, describing the activities of the week, and outlining goals for the following week.
6. Conduct literature reviews.
7. Participate in carrying out the research project. This may include: familiarizing yourself with core concepts, prototyping, design testing, preliminary user studies. The specific responsibilities may vary depending on how the project progresses. Be prepared to contribute to tasks that may come up
during the semester. Research processes are not always predictable.
8. Present the relevance of the research and/or findings to peer(s) from other
disciplines at the DIS Festival.
9. Make a final oral and/or written presentation of the research you are involved in, depending on what is agreed with your research mentor.

Readings

The readings will be agreed upon with the Research Mentor at the beginning of the semester -
the exact content will differ depending on your background. You will receive guidance
concerning the basics of relevant concepts, study designs, methods of analysis, etc.

Evaluation and Grading

All research assistants are assessed on their participation, weekly status reports to the research mentor, self-evaluation and presentation to peers from other disciplines. Additional evaluation and grading depends on the individual research project and project phase and is outlined by the research mentor. It may include literature reviews, a poster presentation for an expert panel, a working paper, etc.

Participation, awarded as follows: 10% of your grade is based on your attendance & active participation in the initial research orientation session, DIS Research workshops, and the DIS Festival. The other 10% is awarded for Active Research Participation, including participation in both hybrid and in-person research team meetings, mentoring sessions, and providing an internal Mid-Semester Update Presentation orally to the research group.	20%
Initial Literature Peek	5%
Literature Summary Review	5%
Research Project Outline	10%
Presentation at DIS Festival	10%
Final Paper	50%
TOTAL	100%

Research Orientation & Workshops

Days and times are available in the Course Summary, below.

Field Research (if applicable)

Some research projects include field research. Expenses related to fieldwork will be
covered by a DIS travel grant. The fieldwork will be planned with the research
mentor at the beginning of the semester.

Approach to Mentoring

All DIS research mentors have been trained in mentoring students but their approach to
mentoring may differ. Mentoring is about engaging at a different - and often deeper -
level than what is typical in the class room. However, mentoring also comes with some
degree of ambiguity, which is important for you to expect. The research
mentor will work closely with you throughout the semester but part of the training is also
for you to use your own judgement, to make assessments and decisions. As part of
planning your tasks and responsibilities for the semester together, the research
mentor will talk to you about her/his approach to mentoring.

Expectations of the Research Assistant

The specific expectations of the individual research assistant are agreed upon at the
beginning of the semester. In general, a research assistant is expected to take initiative,
take ownership of the project and work independently. You must also be prepared for
meetings and be willing to part take in relevant discussions. In cases where more
research assistants are involved in the same project, you will be expected to engage in
some teamwork. Carrying out a research project is not a straightforward and
predictable process. This is part of what makes it exciting. It also means that
communication is crucial. You are expected to take responsibility for communicating
about problems or issues that arise.

Data

The data sets are register based, on individual level, anonymized or pseudo-anonymized. If needed, the format can be adapted to the any prior knowledge of software the student might have. The project is approved by the Danish Data Protection Agency 2016-41-4961, which is the approval needed for purely register based research in Denmark.

Disability and Resource Statement

Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact Academic Support in Copenhagen (acadsupp@dis.dk) or in Stockholm (academics@disstockholm.se), depending on the project location. In order to receive accommodations, students should inform the instructor of approved DIS accommodations within the first two weeks of classes.

Academic Regulations

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations. on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on: 

• Course Enrollment and Grading.  
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code.