Department of Organization, CBS

Yesterday, IOA had Department Summer Day at Roskilde Festival Højskole. Themes: AI in teaching, innovation and dialogue on implications for learning; Positions and plans for the next allocation round and beyond; Inspiration to Innovation: Musicon and The Roskilde Festival Way; Guided tour around ‘Musicon’ city area with option of visiting the Rock (music) museum ‘ Ragnarok’. An inspiring and engaging day filled with great discussions 😊

Yesterday, Majsa Stina Grosen successfully defended her PhD thesis, The Consolidation of the Danish Corporate Elite: Corporate Elite Factions in a Small Open Economy. In her dissertation, Majsa examined how corporate political influence persisted despite increasing fragmentation of traditional elite networks. Challenging established assumptions in the corporate elite literature, she argued that understanding corporate power required attention to the factions and alliances within elite networks. By tracing the evolution of the Danish corporate elite and its “inner circle” from 1973 to 2023, Majsa demonstrated that what appeared to be fragmentation was, in fact, a consolidation of power within a dominant elite faction. Her research provided important new insights into how corporate influence and political advantage were structured and maintained in a small open economy. Congratulations Majsa!

Yesterday’s seminar: ‘What does it mean to be an organizational scholar today? A collaborative conversation between CSO and IOA’ brought together scholars from IOA and CSO to reflect on the role of organization studies and sociology in responding to contemporary societal challenges. Discussions focused on how organization research addressed uncertainty, climate crisis, democracy, and complexity, while also revisiting the historical relationship between scholars and practitioners. Speakers including Renate Meyer, Olivier Borraz, Cornel Ban, Jacob Hasselbalch, Christine Musselin, Kristian Kreiner, and Signe Vikkelsø reflected on the evolving responsibilities and practical relevance of organizational scholarship.
The afternoon sessions explored how researchers intervened beyond academia through public engagement, collaboration with organizations, and educational leadership. Sophie Dubuisson-Quellier, Nanna Mik-Meyer, Majken Schultz, and Manisha Anantharaman shared experiences from climate governance, democratic inquiry, and partnerships with companies, unions, and NGOs, while Jeanne Lazarus, Susanne Boch Waldorff, and Emil Husted reflected on the formation of future practitioners through higher and executive education. Across the day, the event emphasized the importance of connecting research, practice, and societal transformation. Organizing team: Cornel Ban, Olivier Borraz, Jeanne Lazarus, José Ossandón.
A fantastic and inspiring day for CSO and IOA with good discussions! 🥳

Inaugural Lecture with Professor Susanne Boch Waldorff on Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at IOA/CBS. Topic: 'Translations between academic knowledge and practice'. When implementing policy ideas and reforms, local actors draw on multiple forms of knowledge to change or maintain practices. Susanne Boch Waldorff reflected on her research into the complex work undertaken by politicians, managers, professionals, and researchers as they strive to develop meaningful practices and create public value. Preliminary Program: Welcome by Head of Department, Carsten Greve; Speech by Deputy President of CBS Inger Askehave; Inaugural lecture by Susanne Boch Waldorff. Reception with snacks and beverages took place by the IOA kitchen at the 4th floor in Kilen. Big Congratulations, Susanne! 🥳

Invitation to an Inaugural Lecture with Professor Susanne Boch Waldorff on Wednesday, May 13 (14.00 – 16.00; venue: Ks71, Kilen 14A, 2000 Frederiksberg). Topic: 'Translations between academic knowledge and practice'. When implementing policy ideas and reforms, local actors draw on multiple forms of knowledge to change or maintain practices. Susanne Boch Waldorff reflects on her research into the complex work undertaken by politicians, managers, professionals, and researchers as they strive to develop meaningful practices and create public value.
Preliminary Program: Welcome by Head of Department, Carsten Greve; Speech by Deputy President of CBS Inger Askehave; Inaugural lecture by Susanne Boch Waldorff. Reception with snacks and beverages by the IOA kitchen at the 4th floor in Kilen
Register here: https://event.it/ioa/sbuili/token/4hhd

IOA Seminar today with Jody Hoffer Gittell - A Professor of Management at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. Topic: Recognizing Interdependence: A Relational Theory of Coordinated Change.
In addition, Jody Gittel argued that many contemporary crises stem from failures to recognize and manage interdependence across individuals, organizations, and institutions. She also argued that relational coordination and structures include shared goals and shared knowledge. A very interesting seminar with good discussions.

IOA Research Forum today: Presentations by Guest Professors Edward Nik-Khah, Roanoke College, and David M Berry, University of Sussex (CBS Otto Mønsted Professor). The presentations were focusing on 1)Human Centered Artificial Intelligence and 2) Beyond Digitalisation - from Bits to Vectors.
Some very interesting discussions and keynotes. Congrats to both ✨👏🏽