Corporate Governance and Quantitative Research Methods 15 credits

About the course

The course covers foundational theories of corporate governance, roles and responsibilities of boards of directors, regulatory frameworks, and the impact of governance on corporate performance and ethical practices. The second module focuses on quantitative research techniques to enhance students' abilities to critically evaluate and conduct research within the subjects of accounting and finance.

The following modules are included in the course:
Module 1. Corporate Governance, 7.5 credits
Modul 2. Quantitative Research Methods, 7.5 credits

Module 1. Corporate Governance, 7.5 credits 
Corporate governance is concerned with the management of interactions between investors and the reconciliation of possible conflicts of interest between various corporate stakeholders. The literature on corporate governance discusses, among other things, the role and responsibility of owners, the role and responsibility of boards, executive compensation, internal control, disclosure of governance arrangements as well as historical explanations for different corporate governance systems. Many countries also have corporate governance codes that public companies may or have to follow. During the course students are evaluating theoretical perspectives influencing regulatory practices as well as recent trends related to corporate governance, including sustainability and corporate responsibility.

Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
After completing this course, the student should be able to:

• describe common conflicts between stakeholders.

Skills and ability 
After completing this course, the student should be able to:

• analyse the purpose and the limits of corporate governance,
• compare the responsibilities of companies to different stakeholder groups and explain the role of stakeholders in corporate governance,
• analyse the role of corporate governance in relation to sustainability, ethics and corporate responsibility,
• communicate central concepts for the course in English, both orally and in writing.

Judgement and approach 
After completing this course, the student should be able to:

• evaluate the primary roles of various groups tasked with responsibilities for corporate governance (e.g. boards of directors, internal committees),
• contrast regulatory systems guiding approaches to corporate governance emphasizing the advantages and disadvantages of each system from various theoretical perspectives,
• discuss contemporary corporate governance research and its influence on practice.

Focus of instruction
Learning is supported by lectures, seminars and written and oral assignments in this course. The core topics will be covered by lectures and seminars, where students are expected to take an active part. Students will write reports and make oral presentations at seminars.

Module examination modes
Examination is based upon an individual written hall exam and group and individual assignments. A passing grade is required for each part of the module.

Module 2. Quantitative Research Methods, 7.5 credits
This course provides students with the fundamental concepts and techniques of quantitative research methods in accounting and finance. The course covers key topics such as research design, data collection, statistical modelling, and the application of econometric methods using statistical software. A strong emphasis is placed on empirical research, where students engage in hands-on data analysis and interpretation. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to critically assess research papers and conduct their own empirical research projects.

Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
After completing this course, the student should be able to:

• explain fundamental concepts in quantitative accounting and finance research,
• use econometric models, including panel data methods, instrumental variables, and time series analysis.

Skills and ability 
After completing this course, the student should be able to:

• formulate research questions and select appropriate empirical methods in accounting and finance,
• collect, clean, and analyse financial and accounting data using statistical software,
• implement multiple regression, panel data techniques, and instrumental variables in empirical research,
• interpret and critically evaluate results from empirical studies in finance and accounting,
• communicate central concepts for the course in English, both orally and in writing.

Judgement and approach 
After completing this course, the student should be able to:

• assess the validity and reliability of empirical studies in finance and accounting,
• recognize the limitations of different quantitative methods and potential biases in research,
• reflect on ethical considerations in financial research, including data integrity and transparency.

Focus of instruction
Learning is supported by lectures, workshops, seminars, literature i.e. textbook and research articles, and an empirical project. Compulsory course components are seminars, the empirical project and the exam. 

Module examination modes
Examination is based upon a written individual exam and written and orally examined group assignments. A passing grade is required for each part of the module.