PhD Defence: Michael Prehn


Fredag, 14 februar, 2025 - 14:00 to 16:00

In order to obtain the PhD degree, Michael Prehn has submitted his thesis entitled:

Breaking Through: The IMO Decision-Making Process
The decision-making process in the IMO, a participating delegate's point of view

This dissertation examines decision-making at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a sectorial international organization that regulates shipping.  The IMO can adopt binding regulations that can be enforced even against dissenting nations and non-parties.  Based on participant observation, the dissertation argues that outcomes are selected by the chair and influenced by path dependent processes and the organization's culture.  The chair's capacity and competences thus heavily influence the outcome, even though the chair cannot impose an arbitrary result.  Despite claims that the IMO takes consensus-based decisions they are shown to be actually taken by vote.  The process has its own dynamic – flowing from the economic nature of international shipping – that ensures decisions will eventually be made, and negotiations can thus break through stalemates that impede many other international negotiations.  The dissertation also highlights the slow progress in the IMO towards concrete action to counteract climate change, which stems from the concern of the majority of states that regulation of shipping should not disrupt trade.

The thesis will be available from research.cbs.dk

Primary Supervisor:

Professor MSO Duncan Wigan
Department of Organization
Copenhagen Business School

Secondary Supervisor:

Associate Professor Henrik Sornn-Friese
Department of Strategy and Innovation
Copenhagen Business School

Assessment Committee:

Associate Professor Christoph Houman Ellersgaard (Chair)
Department of Organization
Copenhagen Business School

Professor Elizabeth de Sombre
Environmental Studies
Wellesley College

Professor Susan Park
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
University of Sydney

Date: 14 February
Time: 14:00 - 16:00
Online: Zoom
 
*Please note that the microphone and camera of all spectators must be turned off.

Location: Kilen
Room: Ks48
Reception: Kitchen area of IOA (4th floor) Kilen

*The CBS PhD School will host a reception, which will take place immediately after the defence.

Sidst opdateret: Department of Organization // 24/01/2025